A Compilation of Europe-Wide Databases from Published Measurements of PCBs, Dioxins and Furans

Chemical risk assessment always entails an evaluation of expected environmental concentrations of substances; these concentrations may be predicted using mathematical models or may be chosen on the basis of experimental observations and monitoring activities. The work discusses the usefulness and limitations in building compilations of published monitoring data by describing a feasibility study on polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), for which observed concentration data were retrieved from scientific journal articles published between 2000 and 2009. These chemicals are typical POPs and are of constantly high concern for their potential adverse effects on human health and ecosystems. PCBs were mainly used by the power industry in electrical transformers, capacitors, hydraulic equipment, and as lubricants. PCDD/Fs are formed as unintentional by-products of chemical manufacturing and incineration processes, as well as natural processes such as volcanic eruptions, and biomass burning. Emissions from incineration of industrial wastes such as metal reclamation and domestic heating (especially in central Europe) are considered as current sources of PCDD/Fs to the environment. A database of published observed concentrations of PCBs and PCDD/Fs in air, soil sediments and water was built as described in details in the report. As continental scale assessment is aimed more at the evaluation of the regional distribution of contamination, we excluded from the database those measurements taken close to known PCB or PCCD/F pollution sources of exceptional entity such as waste incinerators or contaminated sites. After presenting and interpreting the results of the literature search, we critically examine the completeness and usability of this information, and the usefulness of data compilations in the framework of chemical risk assessment.JRC.H.5-Rural, water and ecosystem resource

Chronicle of an epidemic in the shadow of the pandemic : clinical case communication

La sífilis es una enfermedad causada por la espiroqueta de Treponema pallidum que muestra un amplio espectro clínico. Sus manifestaciones clínicas principalmente se observan en la piel y las mucosas; sin embargo, su mimetismo con otras enfermedades complica a menudo su diagnóstico y retrasa su tratamiento. Este artículo ilustra las lesiones observadas en un paciente con sífilis secundaria, con la finalidad de difundir su aspecto clínico que permita una fácil sospecha diagnóstica, así como mostrar la mejor forma para corroborar los diagnósticos.Syphilis is a disease caused by Treponema pallidum spirocheta that shows a broad clinical spectrum. Its clinical manifestations are mainly observed in the skin and mucous membranes; however, his mimicry with other diseases often complicates his diagnosis and delays his treatment. This article illustrates the lesions observed in a patient with secondary syphilis, in order to spread their clinical appearance that allows easy diagnostic suspicion, as well as show the best way to corroborate diagnoses.Fil: Echeverría, Naomy. Universidad Nacional de La PlataFil: Krause, Martina. Universidad Nacional de La PlataFil: Ulibarrie, Federico . Universidad Nacional de La PlataFil: Cimatti, Pablo. Universidad Nacional de La PlataFil: Alamo, Geordina . Universidad Nacional de La PlataFil: Colombo, Carolina . Universidad Nacional de La Plat

Empresas Colaborativas de Turismo Receptivo, bajo la Plataforma Airbnb, Trujillo

The purpose of this work is to determine the influence of collaborative companies and receptive tourism, under the airbnb platform, Trujillo; said study was based on non-experimental design methods of a descriptive correlational type, for which 50 property owners from Trujillo were included, who at least once advertised and leased their proper-ties under the airbnb platform in the last 6 months. . due to the nature of the research, the same population was chosen as a sample, the data was collected using quantitative techniques and instruments. after collecting the data, they were processed with statistical instruments and the spss v. 27 and the following conclusions were reached: through spearman's rho statistician (0.851, which indicates high correlation) the existing correla-tion between collaborative companies and incoming tourism under the airbnb platform in the city of Trujillo, 2022 has been established.El presente trabajo tiene por propósito determinar la influencia de las empresas colabo-rativas y el turismo receptivo, bajo la plataforma Airbnb, Trujillo; dicho estudio se basó en los métodos del diseño no experimental de tipo correlacional descriptivo, para ello se contó con 50 propietarios de inmuebles de Trujillo que al menos una vez anunciaron y arrendaron sus propiedades bajo la plataforma Airbnb en los últimos 6 meses Por el carácter de la investigacion se escogió como muestra a la misma población, los datos fueron recopilados mediante técnicas e instrumentos de cuantitativos. Luego de recopilar los datos estos fueron procesados con instrumental estadístico y el programa SPSS v. 27 y se arribó a las siguientes conclusiones: Mediante el estadígrafo Rho de Spearman (0.851, que indica alta correlación) ha quedado establecida la correlación exis-tente entre las empresas colaborativas y el turismo receptivo bajo la plataforma Airbnb en la ciudad de Trujillo, 202

Infected pancreatic necrosis: outcomes and clinical predictors of mortality. A post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study

: The identification of high-risk patients in the early stages of infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is critical, because it could help the clinicians to adopt more effective management strategies. We conducted a post hoc analysis of the MANCTRA-1 international study to assess the association between clinical risk factors and mortality among adult patients with IPN. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors of mortality. We identified 247 consecutive patients with IPN hospitalised between January 2019 and December 2020. History of uncontrolled arterial hypertension (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.135-15.882; aOR 4.245), qSOFA (p = 0.005; 95% CI 1.359-5.879; aOR 2.828), renal failure (p = 0.022; 95% CI 1.138-5.442; aOR 2.489), and haemodynamic failure (p = 0.018; 95% CI 1.184-5.978; aOR 2.661), were identified as independent predictors of mortality in IPN patients. Cholangitis (p = 0.003; 95% CI 1.598-9.930; aOR 3.983), abdominal compartment syndrome (p = 0.032; 95% CI 1.090-6.967; aOR 2.735), and gastrointestinal/intra-abdominal bleeding (p = 0.009; 95% CI 1.286-5.712; aOR 2.710) were independently associated with the risk of mortality. Upfront open surgical necrosectomy was strongly associated with the risk of mortality (p < 0.001; 95% CI 1.912-7.442; aOR 3.772), whereas endoscopic drainage of pancreatic necrosis (p = 0.018; 95% CI 0.138-0.834; aOR 0.339) and enteral nutrition (p = 0.003; 95% CI 0.143-0.716; aOR 0.320) were found as protective factors. Organ failure, acute cholangitis, and upfront open surgical necrosectomy were the most significant predictors of mortality. Our study confirmed that, even in a subgroup of particularly ill patients such as those with IPN, upfront open surgery should be avoided as much as possible. Study protocol registered in ClinicalTrials.Gov (I.D. Number NCT04747990)

Espacio Intermedio o espacio común, la individualidad en la vivienda colectiva: como la unidad habitacional construye la envolvente del edificio al tener la posibilidad de expandirse

Tesis (Licenciado en Arquitectura)El crecimiento de la ciudad de Santiago se aprecia por una excesiva expansión y desplazamiento de los lugares destinados a la habitación hacia las afueras de la ciudad. La distancia que se crea entre la vivienda y el trabajo está generando una dependencia del habitante con el transporte. Las nuevas políticas habitacionales han encontrado en la densificación en altura una solución para acoger el crecimiento de la población, sin tener que alejarse demasiado del centro de Santiago y de los lugares de abastecimiento y trabajo. Sin embargo, la imagen que se tiene de estos proyectos es de una exagerada aglomeración en la cantidad de viviendas y en el uso de los espacios comunes. Los grupos familiares pierden: -Un espacio exclusivo dentro del espacio común, con dimensiones y límites que permitan controlar e identificar a los usuarios de un determinado sector. Reconociéndose como la extensión de la habitación privada. -Individualidad como unidad habitacional independiente, al no existir un espacio intermedio que permita distanciar, separar y diferenciar lo público de lo privado, espaciando el traspaso en el traslado de lugar. Reconociéndose como un espacio umbral. Se identificará a la comuna de Recoleta, como lugar de estudio y emplazamiento debido a que se le reconoce como: Sector que fuera la extensión norte del casco antiguo de la ciudad, ubicando a los posibles nuevos proyectos de vivienda cercanos a los servicios, trabajo y abastecimiento que ofrecen las comunas consolidadas, evitando el desmedido traslado del habitante dentro de la ciudad. Y lugar estratégico permitiendo la conexión de las zonas consolidadas de Santiago con la nueva comuna de Huechuraba, foco empresarial de oficinas, comercio y proyectos habitacionales

Adaptive Model Predictive Control of the Hybrid Dynamics of a Fuel Cell System

16TH IEEE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON CONTROL APPLICATIONS. PART OF IEEE MULTI-CONFERENCE ON SYSTEMS AND CONTROL 01/10/2007, SINGAPURIn this paper, an adaptive control scheme for the safe operation of a fuel cell system is presented. The aim of the control design is to guarantee that the oxygen ratio do not reach dangerous values. A first level of control is given by a feedforward control. An improved behavior is obtained using an adaptive predictive controller to determine the voltage to be applied to the air compressor. An admissible robust control invariant set for the PWA model of the system is computed. The control action of the predictive controller is obtained in such a way that the state is always included in the safe region characterized by the admissible robust control invariant set. This guarantees that the proposed controller always provides safe evolutions of the system

Barrancaceae: A new green algal lineage with structural and behavioral adaptations to a fluctuating environment

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: To enhance our knowledge of the diversity of microalgae, a phycological survey of the Canary Islands (Spain) was undertaken. Here we report the discovery of a (semi)terrestrial green filamentous alga isolated from a steep volcanic canyon on La Palma. This alga is continually exposed to changing weather conditions (floods vs.droughts) and thus provides a good opportunity to investigate possible adaptations to a semiterrestrial habitat with large fluctuations of environmental parameters. METHODS: We used axenic cultures, simulated flood and drought stresses and studied their effect on the life history of the alga using light, confocal laser scanning and scanning electron microscopy including fluorescent staining. Furthermore, phylogenetic analyses using rDNA sequence comparisons were performed. KEY RESULTS: Three specific life-history traits that likely represent adaptations to the fluctuating environment of the canyon were observed: (1) fragmentation through filament splitting, a unique branching mechanism not reported before in algae and initiated by formation of oblique cross walls, (2) apla-nospore formation, and (3) reproduction by multiflagellate zoospores with 4-24 flagella arranged in groups of four. Phylogenetic analyses identified the alga as Barranca multiflagellata gen.et sp.nov. (Barrancaceae fam.nov., Chaetophorales, Chlorophyceae). Moreover, the Chaetophoraceae Greville, 1824 was emended and a new family, Uronemataceae (fam.nov.) erected. CONCLUSIONS: The discovery of Barrancaceae fam.nov. highlights the importance of investigating nonconventional habitats to explore microalgal diversity. The reproductive versatility demonstrated by Barranca suggests adaptation to a semiterrestrial habitat with large fluctuations in water availability

Solid State Self-Assembly Mechanism of RADA16-I Designer Peptide

We report that synthetic RADA16-I peptide transforms to β-strand secondary structure and develops intermolecular organization into β-sheets when stored in the solid state at room temperature. Secondary structural changes were probed using solid state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (ssNMR) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Intermolecular organization was analyzed via wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Observed changes in molecular structure and organization occurred on the time scale of weeks during sample storage at room temperature. We observed structural changes on faster time scales by heating samples above room temperature or by addition of water. Analysis of hydration effects indicates that water can enhance the ability of the peptide to convert to β-strand secondary structure and assemble into β-sheets. However, temperature dependent FTIR and time dependent WAXD data indicate that bound water may hinder the assembly of β-strands into β-sheets. We suggest that secondary structural transformation and intermolecular organization together produce a water-insoluble state. These results reveal insights into the role of water in self-assembly of polypeptides with hydrophilic side chains, and have implications on future optimization of RADA16-I nanofiber production