Preliminary structural and seismic performance assessment of the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba: The Abd al-Rahman I sector

This manuscript discusses some preliminary results on the structural and the seismic performance of the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, a UNESCO World Heritage. The area is characterized by a moderate seismic hazard. The building was built from the 8th to the 16th century and it has undergone several transformations. Owing to the complexity of the building, this work has focused on the assessment of the Abd al-Rahman I sector, which is the most aged part of the complex. For that, first, a 3D numerical finite element model of the sector has been done in the OpenSees framework and calibrated. To do so, an experimental non-destructive campaign has been carried out. Second, the model has been used to evaluate the structural behaviour, under vertical and horizontal loads, considering different scenarios. Finally, the crack patterns and the seismic safety have been obtained. The results showed that the numerical damage obtained for the gravitational loads is in good agreement with the data collected from the in situ surveys. Also, particular attention should be paid to the cymatiums, as they are the most demanded part of the system. Regarding its seismic performance, the building presents a higher capacity in the direction of the arcades. For the seismic demand, slight damage is expected in both principal directions of the building, which could be easily repaired. Damage concentration is expected in the contact between the perimetral wall and the arcades. This work has expanded the study of the features of the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba to the structural and seismic analysis with advanced numerical FE computing, which has not been done to date. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first time that a macro-modelling approach with solid elements is presented for the seismic assessment of heritage buildings using the OpenSees framework. The methodology to do so is also presented. Apart from showing how advanced numerical analyses can provide useful information to assess the existing damage on monumental buildings, this work aims at contributing to the assessment of the vulnerability and the safety of one of the most emblematic mosque-like buildings of the world.20 página

Intra-individual effects of food upon the pharmacokinetics of rifampicin and isoniazid

Background: Poor response to TB therapy might be attributable to subtherapeutic levels in drug-compliant patients. Pharmacokinetic parameters can be affected by comorbidities or the interaction of drugs with food. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effect of food intake upon pharmacokinetics of rifampicin and isoniazid in a Peruvian population with TB. Methods: Rifampicin and isoniazid levels were analysed at 2, 4 and 6 h after drug intake in both fasting and non-fasting states using LC-MS methods. Results: Sixty patients participated in the study. The median rifampicin Cmax and AUC0–6 were higher during fasting than non-fasting: 7.02 versus 6.59 mg/L (P = 0.054) and 28.64 versus 24.31 mg·h/L (P = 0.002). There was a statistically significant delay overall of non-fasting Tmax compared with the fasting state Tmax (P = 0.005). In the multivariate analysis, besides the effect of fasting, Cmax for females was 20% higher than for males (P = 0.03). Concerning isoniazid, there were significant differences in the Cmax during non-fasting (median = 3.51 mg/L) compared with fasting (4.54 mg/L). The isoniazid dose received had an effect upon the isoniazid levels (1.26, P = 0.038). In the multivariate analysis, isoniazid exposure during fasting was found to be 14% higher than during non-fasting (CI = 1.02–1.28, P < 0.001). Neither radiological extent of the disease nor consumption of food with drug intake nor pharmacokinetics of rifampicin or isoniazid was associated with a poorer treatment outcome. Conclusions: Rifampicin in particular and isoniazid pharmacokinetics were significantly affected by the intake of the drug with food between and within individuals

Modulation of gilthead sea bream gut microbiota by a bioactive egg white hydrolysate: Interactions between bacteria and host lipid metabolism

This study aimed to highlight the relationship between diet, animal performance and mucosal adherent gut microbiota (anterior intestine) in fish fed plant-based diets supplemented with an egg white hydrolysate (EWH) with antioxidant and antiobesogenic activity in obese rats. The feeding trial with juveniles of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) lasted 8 weeks. Fish were fed near to visual satiety with a fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) based diet (CTRL) or a plant-based diet with/without EWH supplementation. Specific growth rate decreased gradually from 2.16% in CTRL fish to 1.88% in EWH fish due to a reduced feed intake, and a slight impairment of feed conversion ratio. Plant-based diets feeding triggered a hyperplasic inflammation of the anterior intestine regardless of EWH supplementation.This work was supported by the EU H2020 Research Innovation Program under the TNA Program (project AE150009) at IATS-CSIC Research Infrastructure within AQUAEXCEL2020 Project (652831). This output reflects only the author’s view and the European Union cannot be held responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained herein. Additional funding was obtained by a Spanish MICINN project (Bream-AquaINTECH and RTI2018–094128-B-I00). MCP was funded by a Ramón y Cajal Postdoctoral Research Fellowship [RYC2018-024049-I/AEI/10.13039/501100011033 cofunded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and ACOND/2020 Generalitat Valenciana].Peer reviewe

Modulation of gilthead sea bream gut microbiota by a bioactive egg white hydrolysate

Trabajo presentado en Aquaculture Europe 2020, celebrado en modalidad virtual del 12 al 15 de abril de 2021.[Introduction]: A bioactive egg white hydrolysate (EWH) treated with pepsin has demonstrated potent in vitro and in vivo antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, improving oxidative stress and inflammation biomarkers on genetically and diet induced obese rats (Requena et al., 2017). However, the effects of protein hydrolysates and bioactive food-derived peptides on gut microbiome remain relatively poorly studied in mammals and fish in particular. Thus, the aim of this study was to unravel the main effects on fish performance, histopathological scoring and mucosal adherent gut microbiota of EWH supplementation in a fish fed a formulation with a high replacement of marine feedstuffs by alternative plant ingredients, using gilthead sea bream as a farmed fish model. [Methods]: The feeding trial lasted 8 weeks (May-July) under natural photoperiod and temperature conditions. Juvenile fish (20-24 g initial body weight, 4.8-4.9 kg/m3) were fed near to visual satiety with control (CTRL) or low fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) diets with/without egg white hydrolysate (EWH) supplementation (7.5%). DNA from the adherent bacteria of the anterior intestine was collected and the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA of each sample was amplified and sequenced by Illumina MiSeq. Taxonomic assignment was performed with a custom-made pipeline using the RDP database. Alpha diversity was calculated using Phyloseq, and beta diversity using PERMANOVA and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) models. Metagenome prediction and pathway analysis were performed using Piphillin.[Methods]: The feeding trial lasted 8 weeks (May-July) under natural photoperiod and temperature conditions. Juvenile fish (20-24 g initial body weight, 4.8-4.9 kg/m3) were fed near to visual satiety with control (CTRL) or low fish meal (FM)/fish oil (FO) diets with/without egg white hydrolysate (EWH) supplementation (7.5%). DNA from the adherent bacteria of the anterior intestine was collected and the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA of each sample was amplified and sequenced by Illumina MiSeq. Taxonomic assignment was performed with a custom-made pipeline using the RDP database. Alpha diversity was calculated using Phyloseq, and beta diversity using PERMANOVA and partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) models. Metagenome prediction and pathway analysis were performed using Piphillin.[Results]: Daily specific growth rates (SGR) varied significantly from 2.16 in CTRL fish to 1.88 in EWH fish as a result of a reduced feed intake. A slight impairment of feed conversion ratio, from 1.03 to 1.10, was also observed. Intermediate values on growth performance parameters were reported with the low FM/FO diet without EWH supplementation. No changes in total plasma antioxidant capacity, and faecal concentrations of lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids were found among dietary groups. The dietary replacement of FM/FO triggered a hyperplasic inflammation of the anterior intestine submucosa that was not alleviated by EWH supplementation. Conversely, alterations on the staining pattern and amount of goblet cells at the level of anterior intestine were reversed in EWH fish, together with a decreased accumulation of lipid vacuoles in the epithelium of posterior intestine, a high abundance of hepatic melanomacrophage centers, and depletion of hepatocyte lipid depots until the restoration of CTRL fish values. Illumina sequencing reads were assigned to 2,117 OTUs and a significantly lower richness was found in the EWH group. Indeed, at the phylum level, Proteobacteria reached the highest proportion in CTRL and EWH fish, whereas Firmicutes were decreased and Actinobacteria increased with the replacement of FM/FO. The proportion of Actinobacteria was restored to CTRL values with the dietary EWH supplementation. Additionally, EWH triggered the highest amount of Bacteroidetes and Spirochaetes phyla. Detailed differences in microbiota composition were analysed with a statistically validated PLS-DA which clearly separated CTRL fish from fish fed low FM/FO diets along x-axis (component 1, 37.4%), whereas component 2 (43.2%) separated the low FM/FO diets with/without EWH along y-axis (Fig. 1). This analysis disclosed 165 OTUs discriminating among diets (VIP ≥ 1), with 46 OTUs representing at least the 1% in one of the groups. For these abundant bacteria, a first type of response was mediated by 17 OTUs that were increasing with the FM/FO replacement and decreasing again in EWH fish. In this group, Neisseriaceae family and species of Ralstonia, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Corynebacterium and Nocardioides genera were included. A group of 14 OTUs were present in high proportion in the CTRL group, but decreased in fish fed the two low FM/FO diets. In this case, the dietary plant ingredients drove the decrease of the Comamonadaceae family and Mesorizhobium, Brochotrix, Bacillus, Clostridium sensu stricto and Exiguobacterium genera. The remaining 15 OTUs increased their proportion in fish fed the EWH diet, being in a very low proportion in the other two dietary groups. This response triggered the presence of Bacteroidetes phylum, Rhodospirilalles order and Granucatella, Bradyrizhobium, Propionibacterium and Streptophyta genera. Inferred metagenome results showed two pathways corresponding to primary bile acid biosynthesis and steroid degradation consistently underrepresented in the microbiota of EWH fish when compared to the other two groups[Conclusions]: These results reinforce the central role of gut microbiota in the regulation of host metabolism and lipid metabolism in particular (Hegyi et al., 2018), supporting a main role of the EWH as an anti-obesity and satiety factor in fish as suggested in rat models of obesity. The potential use of this functional food ingredient in finishing diets, and the role of gut microbiota in tuning fillet fatty acid composition of marketable fish merits further research.This work was funded by the TNA programme (AE150009) within H2020 AQUAEXCEL2020 project (652831) to GAWP for accessing to IATS-CSIC facilities

Machine learning methods applied to combined Raman and LIBS spectra: Implications for mineral discrimination in planetary missions

Producción CientíficaThe combined analysis of geological targets by complementary spectroscopic techniques could enhance the characterization of the mineral phases found on Mars. This is indeed the case with the SuperCam instrument onboard the Perseverance rover. In this framework, the present study seeks to evaluate and compare multiple machine learning techniques for the characterization of carbonate minerals based on Raman-LIBS (Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) spectroscopic data. To do so, a Ca-Mg prediction curve was created by mixing hydromagnesite and calcite at different concentration ratios. After their characterization by Raman and LIBS spectroscopy, different multivariable machine learning (Gaussian process regression, support vector machines, ensembles of trees, and artificial neural networks) were used to predict the concentration ratio of each sample from their respective datasets. The results obtained by separately analyzing Raman and LIBS data were then compared to those obtained by combining them. By comparing their performance, this work demonstrates that mineral discrimination based on Gaussian and ensemble methods optimized the combine of Raman-LIBS dataset outperformed those ensured by Raman and LIBS data alone. This demonstrated that the fusion of data combination and machine learning is a promising approach to optimize the analysis of spectroscopic data returned from Mars.Agencia Estatal de Investigación, grant (PID2022-142490OB-C32)Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO),Grant/Award Number (RDE2018-102600-T

Human-carnivore relations: conflicts, tolerance and coexistence in the American West

Carnivore and humans live in proximity due to carnivore recovery efforts and ongoing human encroachment into carnivore habitats globally. The American West is a region that uniquely exemplifies these human-carnivore dynamics, however, it is unclear how the research community here integrates social and ecological factors to examine human-carnivore relations. Therefore, strategies promoting human-carnivore coexistence are urgently needed. We conducted a systematic review on human-carnivore relations in the American West covering studies between 2000 and 2018. We first characterized human-carnivore relations across states of the American West. Second, we analyzed similarities and dissimilarities across states in terms of coexistence, tolerance, number of ecosystem services and conflicts mentioned in literature. Third, we used Bayesian modeling to quantify the effect of social and ecological factors influencing the scientific interest on coexistence, tolerance, ecosystem services and conflicts. Results revealed some underlying biases in humancarnivore relations research. Colorado and Montana were the states where the highest proportion of studies were conducted with bears and wolves the most studied species. Non-lethal management was the most common strategy to mitigate conflicts. Overall, conflicts with carnivores were much more frequently mentioned than benefits. We found similarities among Arizona, California, Utah, and New Mexico according to how coexistence, tolerance, services and conflicts are addressed in literature. We identified percentage of federal/private land, carnivore family, social actors, and management actions, as factors explaining how coexistence, tolerance, conflicts and services are addressed in literature. We provide a roadmap to foster tolerance towards carnivores and successful coexistence strategies in the American West based on four main domains, (1)the dual role of carnivores as providers of both beneficial and detrimental contributions to people, (2)social-ecological factors underpinning the provision of beneficial and detrimental contributions, (3)the inclusion of diverse actors, and (4) cross-state collaborative management

Discovery of the elusive carbonic acid (HOCOOH) in space

After a quarter century since the detection of the last interstellar carboxylic acid, acetic acid (CH$_3$COOH), we report the discovery of a new one, the cis-trans form of carbonic acid (HOCOOH), toward the Galactic Center molecular cloud G+0.693-0.027. HOCOOH stands as the first interstellar molecule containing three oxygen atoms and also the third carboxylic acid detected so far in the interstellar medium. Albeit the limited available laboratory measurements (up to 65 GHz), we have also identified several pairs of unblended lines directly in the astronomical data (between 75-120 GHz), which allowed us to slightly improve the set of spectroscopic constants. We derive a column density for cis-trans HOCOOH of $N$ = (6.4 $\pm$ 0.4) $\times$ 10$^{12}$ cm$^{-2}$, which yields an abundance with respect to molecular H$_2$ of 4.7 $\times$ 10$^{-11}$. Meanwhile, the extremely low dipole moment (about fifteen times lower) of the lower-energy conformer, cis-cis HOCOOH, precludes its detection. We obtain an upper limit to its abundance with respect to H$_2$ of $\leq$ 1.2 $\times$10$^{-9}$, which suggests that cis-cis HOCOOH might be fairly abundant in interstellar space, although it is nearly undetectable by radio astronomical observations. We derive a cis-cis/cis-trans ratio $\leq$ 25, consistent with the smaller energy difference between both conformers compared with the relative stability of trans- and cis-formic acid (HCOOH). Finally, we compare the abundance of these acids in different astronomical environments, further suggesting a relationship between the chemical content found in the interstellar medium and the chemical composition of the minor bodies of the Solar System, which could be inherited during the star formation process.Comment: Accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

First glycine isomer detected in the interstellar medium: glycolamide (NH2_2C(O)CH2_2OH)

We report the first detection in the interstellar medium of a C$_2$H$_5$O$_2$N isomer: $syn$-glycolamide (NH$_2$C(O)CH$_2$OH). The exquisite sensitivity at sub-mK levels of an ultra-deep spectral survey carried out with the Yebes 40m and IRAM 30m telescopes towards the G+0.693-0.027 molecular cloud have allowed us to unambiguously identify multiple transitions of this species. We derived a column density of (7.4 $\pm$ 0.7)$\times$10$^{12}$ cm$^{-2}$, which implies a molecular abundance with respect to H$_2$ of 5.5$\times$10$^{-11}$. The other C$_2$H$_5$O$_2$N isomers, including the higher-energy $anti$ conformer of glycolamide, and two conformers of glycine, were not detected. The upper limit derived for the abundance of glycine indicates that this amino acid is surely less abundant than its isomer glycolamide in the ISM. The abundances of the C$_2$H$_5$O$_2$N isomers cannot be explained in terms of thermodynamic equilibrium, and thus chemical kinetics need to be invoked. While the low abundance of glycine might not be surprising, based on the relative low abundances of acids in the ISM compared to other compounds (e.g. alcohols, aldehydes or amines), several chemical pathways can favour the formation of its isomer glycolamide. It can be formed through radical-radical reactions on the surface of dust grains. The abundances of these radicals can be significantly boosted in an environment affected by a strong ultraviolet field induced by cosmic rays, such as that expected in G+0.693-0.027. Therefore, as shown by several recent molecular detections towards this molecular cloud, it stands out as the best target to discover new species with carbon, oxygen and nitrogen with increasing chemical complexity.Comment: Accepted in The Astrophysical Journal Letter