Data Mining Paradigm in the Study of Air Quality

Air pollution is a serious global problem that threatens human life and health, as well as the environment. The most important aspect of a successful air quality management strategy is the measurement analysis, air quality forecasting, and reporting system. A complete insight, an accurate prediction, and a rapid response may provide valuable information for society’s decision-making. The data mining paradigm can assist in the study of air quality by providing a structured work methodology that simplifies data analysis. This study presents a systematic review of the literature from 2014 to 2018 on the use of data mining in the analysis of air pollutant measurements. For this review, a data mining approach to air quality analysis was proposed that was consistent with the 748 articles consulted. The most frequent sources of data have been the measurements of monitoring networks, and other technologies such as remote sensing, low-cost sensors, and social networks which are gaining importance in recent years. Among the topics studied in the literature were the redundancy of the information collected in the monitoring networks, the forecasting of pollutant levels or days of excessive regulation, and the identification of meteorological or land use parameters that have the most substantial impact on air quality. As methods to visualise and present the results, we recovered graphic design, air quality index development, heat mapping, and geographic information systems. We hope that this study will provide anchoring of theoretical-practical development in the field and that it will provide inputs for air quality planning and management.Facultad de Ciencias Exacta

Easy and inexpensive method for the visual and electronic detection of oxidants in air by using vinylic films with embedded aniline

Conventional nonconductive vinylic films with dispersed aniline change their color and become conductive in the presence of specific oxidant gases, namely, chlorine and hydrogen peroxide. The color change arises from the polymerization of the aniline to yield the conjugated polymer polyaniline, which at the same time renders the flexible vinylic films conductive. We present a simple and straightforward method using both colorimetric and electrical responses to detect and quantify the presence of oxidants (Cl2 and H2O2) in the air. Using RGB analysis (red, green and blue parameters defining the colors in digital pictures on a computer display) based on different pictures taken with a smartphone of discs extracted from the films and by measuring the UV–vis spectral variation in the presence of different concentrations of Cl2 and H2O2, we obtained limits of detection and quantification between 15 and 200 ppbv for H2O2 and between 37 and 583 ppbv for Cl2. Additionally, the electrical response was measured using a fabricated device to visually detect the electrical conductivity activation of the sensor in the presence of oxidant atmospheres, detecting a rapid decrease in resistivity (three orders of magnitude) when the polymerization of aniline began, changing the film from non-conductive to conductive.FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional) and the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (AEI) (MAT2017-84501-R

Porous aromatic polyamides the easy and green way

We prepared microporous aramid films through a simple, inexpensive and green way, using ionic liquids (IL) as porosity promoters. Commercial poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (MPIA) films with different IL proportions were prepared, and then microporous films were obtained by removing the IL in distilled water. Microporous films presented density values between 0.34 and 0.71 g⋅cm−3 (around five times lower to commercial MPIA), with a homogeneous and controlled cellular morphology dependent on the proportion of the IL, showing cell sizes in the microcellular range (radii between 1 and 8 µm). Thermal, mechanical and electrical properties (specifically ionic conductivity) of the aramid films were analyzed to evaluate the influence of the IL proportion. Finally, it was observed that the MPIA/IL system presented a reversible thermally induced phase-separation process around 60 °C, which was characterized through AFM-Raman images and spectra, together with the variation of the ionic conductivity.FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional) and both the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación (MAT2017-84501-R) and the Consejería de Educación-Junta de Castilla y León (BU306P18

¿Son las universidades socialmente responsables? Una iniciativa a través de los Proyectos Fin de Carrera

La presente comunicación propone la posibilidad de realizar parte de los proyectos final de carrera de las titulaciones con un fin social para que la Universidad pueda incluirse en las empresas o entidades socialmente responsables. Se presentan las ideas de dos experiencias como indicadores de esta línea que pueden ser fácilmente trasladables, adaptadas o simplemente como punto de partida desde la reflexión de las mismas

Risk analysis of technological hazards: Simulation of scenarios and application of a local vulnerability index

The potential impact of a technological accident can be assessed by risk estimation. Taking this into account, the latent or potential condition can be warned and mitigated. In this work we propose a methodology to estimate risk of technological hazards, focused on two components. The first one is the processing of meteorological databases to define the most probably and conservative scenario of study, and the second one, is the application of a local social vulnerability index to classify the population. In this case of study, the risk was estimated for a hypothetical release of liquefied ammonia in a meat-packing industry in the city of La Plata, Argentina. The method consists in integrating the simulated toxic threat zone with ALOHA software, and the layer of sociodemographic classification of the affected population. The results show the areas associated with higher risks of exposure to ammonia, which are worth being addressed for the prevention of disasters in the region. Advantageously, this systemic approach is methodologically flexible as it provides the possibility of being applied in various scenarios based on the available information of both, the exposed population and its meteorology. Furthermore, this methodology optimizes the processing of the input data and its calculation.Centro de Investigaciones del MedioambienteCentro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Ciencias Aplicada

Historical Archaeology in the Iberian Peninsula

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Are sciences essential and humanities elective? Disentangling competing claims for humanities research public value

[EN] Recent policy discourse suggests that arts and humanities research is seen as being less useful to society than other disciplines, notably in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The paper explores how this assumption s construction has been built and whether it is based upon an unfair prejudice: we argue for a prima facie case to answer in assuming that arts and humanities research s lower societal value. We identify a set of claims circulating in policy circles regarding science, technology, engineering and math- ematics research and arts and humanities research s differences. We find two groups: arts and humanities research is less useful than science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and arts and humanities research is merely differently useful. We argue that empirical analysis is necessary to disentangle which ones are true to assess whether policy-making is being based on rational and evidence-based claims. We argue that debates about public research value should recognise that humanities have different (but equally valid) kinds of societal value.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education, which funded the PhD research fellowship of Julia Olmos Peñuela through the F.P.U program [AP2007- 01850]. The research fellowship took place in the framework of the HERAVALUE project, Measuring the public value of arts and humanities research, financially supported by the HERA Joint Research Programme, cofunded by AHRC, AKA, DASTI, ETF, FNR, FWF, HAZU, IRCHSS, MHEST, NWO, RANNIS, RCN, VR and The European Community FP7 2007-2013, under the Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities programme. The authors would like to thank the editors and two anonymous referees for their invaluable comments. Any errors or omissions remain the authors’ responsibilitieOlmos-Peñuela, J.; Benneworth, P.; Castro-Martínez, E. (2015). Are sciences essential and humanities elective? Disentangling competing claims for humanities research public value. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education. 14(1):61-78. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474022214534081S617814

Histone demethylase KDM4B regulates otic vesicle invagination via epigenetic control of Dlx3 expression

In vertebrates, the inner ear arises from the otic placode, a thickened swathe of ectoderm that invaginates to form the otic vesicle. We report that histone demethylase KDM4B is dynamically expressed during early stages of chick inner ear formation. A loss of KDM4B results in defective invagination and striking morphological changes in the otic epithelium, characterized by abnormal localization of adhesion and cytoskeletal molecules and reduced expression of several inner ear markers, including Dlx3. In vivo chromatin immunoprecipitation reveals direct and dynamic occupancy of KDM4B and its target, H3K9me3, at regulatory regions of the Dlx3 locus. Accordingly, coelectroporations of DLX3 or KDM4B encoding constructs, but not a catalytically dead mutant of KDM4B, rescue the ear invagination phenotype caused by KDM4B knockdown. Moreover, a loss of DLX3 phenocopies a loss of KDM4B. Collectively, our findings suggest that KDM4B play a critical role during inner ear invagination via modulating histone methylation of the direct target Dlx3