Trawling-induced daily sediment resuspension in the flanks of La Fonera Canyon

VIII Congreso Geológico de España (Oviedo, 2012). -- 4 pages, 3 figures[ES] El impacto de la pesca de arrastre en los fondos marinos y sus recursos naturales ha adquirido creciente relevancia durante las últimas décadas. Sin embargo, su posible contribución a la dinámica sedimentaria contemporánea permanece poco estudiada. Una línea equipada con sensores de turbidez fue fondeada a 1000 metros de profundidad en un tributario del flanco norte del Cañón de la Fonera (=Palamós), el cual es explotado por una flota de arrastre a profundidades entre 400 y 800 m. Durante días y horas de trabajo únicamente, se detectaron plumas de turbidez de un espesor mínimo de 100 metros, con concentraciones de sólidos en suspensión hasta 200 mg l-1 cerca del fondo, 1-2 órdenes de magnitud superiores a los valores medidos en días sin actividad pesquera. Estos incrementos de turbidez observados a distancia de los caladeros están asociados a flujos de gravedad generados por las pesadas artes de arrastre. Los resultados muestran que la pesca industrial de arrastre puede modificar dramáticamente los patrones naturales de resuspension y transporte de sedimento en márgenes continentales, principalmente en fondos de elevada pendiente como los flancos de cañones submarinos[EN] The offshore displacement of commercial bottom trawling has raised concerns on the impacts of this activity over the deep-sea physical environment, but the issue still remains largely unaddressed. A focussed study to address the alteration of natural sediment fluxes by trawling activities was conducted at the northern flank of the La Fonera Canyon (northwestern Mediterranean), where a bottom trawling fishery is active at depths from 400 to 800 m. A moored line equipped with turbidimeters at several heights over the seafloor was deployed at 1000 m depth to document the downslope effects of trawling on water turbidity. During working days and working hours of the trawling fleet, plumes of resuspended sediment extending to at least 100 m above the bottom were observed, with near-bottom suspended sediment concentrations up to 200 mg l-1. In the absence of trawling, turbidity dropped back to background levels ~2 mg l-1. These results highlight that, in steep environments such as the flanks of submarine canyons, the effects of bottom trawling on sediment resuspension and water turbidity can propagate to larger and deeper areas than the fishing grounds and dramatically change the natural patterns and rates of resuspension and advection of sedimentsEl proyecto HERMIONE fue financiado por la Comisión Europea (FP7 Grant agreement no: 226354). J. Martín se benefició de una beca FPI (MEC) y un contrato del programa JAE-DOC (CSIC)Peer reviewe

Affective neuroscience of ADHD: current data and future directions

Universidad de MálagaEl trastorno por déficit de atención con hiperactividad (TDAH) es un trastorno de origen neurobiológico complejo y heterogéneo que se caracteriza no sólo por sus disfunciones cognitivas sino también por la existencia de importantes alteraciones afectivas, tanto motivacionales como emocionales. Sin embargo, los correlatos neurobiológicos que subyacen a las disfunciones afectivas del TDAH apenas han sido explorados, en comparación con la extensa investigación llevada a cabo sobre los mecanismos neurales implicados en sus principales déficit cognitivos (atención, inhibición de respuesta y memoria de trabajo). Este trabajo revisa las recientes investigaciones que han explorado las bases neurales involucradas en las alteraciones motivacionales y emocionales mostradas por las personas con TDAH. Asimismo, se discuten las implicaciones prácticas derivadas de los resultados de estos estudios y se proponen nuevas líneas de investigación desde la Neurociencia afectiva.Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a complex and heterogeneous disorder that is characterized not only by cognitive deficits but also by affective dysfunctions, both motivational and emotional. Nevertheless, the neural bases of affective dysfunctions have barely been explored in relation to this disorder, in contrast to extensive research that examined the neural correlates of its main cognitive deficits (attention, response inhibition and working memory). This article reviews the available data regarding the neurobiological substrates of motivational and emotional alterations showed by children, adolescents and adults with ADHD. Practical implications derived from these data are discussed and future research directions from affective neuroscience are suggested.Estudio financiado por el Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (PSI2008-03688) y la Comunidad de Madrid/Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (CCG08-UAM/SAL-4463)

Interaction of dense dense shelf water cascading and open-sea convection in the Northwestern Mediterranean during winter 2012

Durrieu de Madron, Xavier ... et al.-- European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2013, 7-12 April, Vienna, AustriaThe winter of 2012 experienced peculiar atmospheric conditions that triggered a massive formation of dense water on the continental shelf and in the deep basin of the Gulf of Lions. Multi-platforms observations enabled, with an unprecedented resolution, a synoptic view of dense water formation and spreading at basin scale. Five months after its formation, the dense water of coastal origin created a distinct bottom layer up to few hundreds of meters thick over the central part of the NW Mediterranean basin, which was overlaid by a layer of newly formed deep water produced by open-sea convection. These observations highlight the role of intense episodes of both dense shelf water cascading and open-sea convection to the alteration of the characteristics of the NW Mediterranean deep watersPeer Reviewe

EmoMadrid: An emotional pictures database for affect research

Emotional scenes are, along with facial expressions, the most employed stimuli in Affective Sciences. However, as compared to facial expressions, available emotional scene databases are scarce and, in some cases, obsolete and overused. This paper describes EmoMadrid, an open access database currently consisting of 817 emotional pictures. Valence and Arousal of each of these pictures were assessed by an average sample of 146 volunteers, who evaluated an average of 155 pictures. The total sample participating in EmoMadrid evaluation up to the present is 768 volunteers. EmoMadrid provides information not provided in other databases, on low order visual parameters such as spatial frequency, luminosity, and chromatic complexity; these parameters are of crucial interest, since they have been revealed to interact with the affective content of pictures. EmoMadrid has already been employed in 14 Human Neuroscience and Behavior studies, despite it has only been described in its web pageThis work was supported by the FEDER/Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (PGC2018-093570-B-I00) and by the Comunidad de Madrid (S2015/HUM-3327

Bottom-trawling along submarine canyons impacts deep sedimentary regimes

Many studies highlight that fish trawling activities cause seafloor erosion, but the assessment of the remobilization of surface sediments and its relocation is still not well documented. These impacts were examined along the flanks and axes of three headless submarine canyons incised on the Barcelona continental margin, where trawling fleets have been operating for decades. Trawled grounds along canyon flanks presented eroded and highly reworked surface sediments resulting from the passage of heavy trawling gear. Sedimentation rates on the upper canyon axes tripled and quadrupled its natural (i.e. pre-industrialization) values after a substantial increase in total horsepower of the operating trawling fleets between 1960 s and 1970 s. These impacts affected the upper canyon reaches next to fishing grounds, where sediment resuspended by trawling can be transported towards the canyon axes. This study highlights that bottom trawling has the capacity to alter natural sedimentary environments by promoting sediment-starved canyon flanks, and by enhancing sedimentation rates along the contiguous axes, independently of canyons’ morphology. Considering the global mechanisation and offshore expansion of bottom trawling fisheries since the mid-20th century, these sedimentary alterations may occur in many trawled canyons worldwide, with further ecological impacts on the trophic status of these non-resilient benthic communities

Does Upper Cervical Manual Therapy Provide Additional Benefit in Disability and Mobility over a Physiotherapy Primary Care Program for Chronic Cervicalgia? A Randomized Controlled Trial

Introduction: Neck pain is a condition with a high incidence in primary care. Patients with chronic neck pain often experience reduction in neck mobility. However, no study to date has investigated the effects of manual mobilization of the upper cervical spine in patients with chronic mechanical neck pain and restricted upper cervical rotation. Objective: To evaluate the effect of adding an upper cervical translatoric mobilization or an inhibitory suboccipital technique to a conventional physical therapy protocol in patients with chronic neck pain test on disability and cervical range of motion. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: Seventy-eight patients with chronic neck pain and restricted upper cervical rotation were randomized in three groups: Upper cervical translatoric mobilization group, inhibitory suboccipital technique group, or control group. The neck disability index, active cervical mobility, and the flexion–rotation test were assessed at baseline (T0), after the treatment (T1), and at three-month follow-up (T2). Results: There were no statistically significant differences between groups in neck disability index. The upper cervical translatoric mobilization group showed a significant increase in the flexion–rotation test to the more restricted side at T1 (F = 5.992; p < 0.004) and T2 (F = 5.212; p < 0.007) compared to the control group. The inhibitory suboccipital technique group showed a significant increase in the flexion–rotation test to the less restricted side at T1 (F = 3.590; p < 0.027). All groups presented high percentages of negative flexion–rotation tests. (T1: 69.2% upper neck translator mobilization group; 38.5% suboccipital inhibition technique group, 19.2% control group; at T2: 80.8%; 46.2% and 26.9% respectively). No significant differences in the active cervical mobility were found between groups. Conclusion: Adding manual therapy to a conventional physical therapy protocol for the upper cervical spine increased the flexion–rotation test in the short- and mid-term in patients with chronic neck pain. No changes were found in the neck disability index and the global active cervical range of motion

Raman microprobe characterization of electrodeposited S-rich CuIn(S,Se)2 for photovoltaic applications: Microstructural analysis

This article reports a detailed Raman scattering and microstructural characterization of S-rich CuIn(S,Se)2 absorbers produced by electrodeposition of nanocrystalline CuInSe2 precursors and subsequent reactive annealing under sulfurizing conditions. Surface and in-depth resolved Raman microprobe measurements have been correlated with the analysis of the layers by optical and scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and in-depth Auger electron spectroscopy. This has allowed corroboration of the high crystalline quality of the sulfurized layers. The sulfurizing conditions used also lead to the formation of a relatively thick MoS2 intermediate layer between the absorber and the Mo back contact. The analysis of the absorbers has also allowed identification of the presence of In-rich secondary phases, which are likely related to the coexistence in the electrodeposited precursors of ordered vacancy compound domains with the main chalcopyrite phase, in spite of the Cu-rich conditions used in the growth. This points out the higher complexity of the electrodeposition and sulfurization processes in relation to those based in vacuum deposition techniques

Bottom-trawling along submarine canyons impacts deep sedimentary regimes

Unidad de excelencia María de Maeztu MdM-2015-0552Many studies highlight that fish trawling activities cause seafloor erosion, but the assessment of the remobilization of surface sediments and its relocation is still not well documented. These impacts were examined along the flanks and axes of three headless submarine canyons incised on the Barcelona continental margin, where trawling fleets have been operating for decades. Trawled grounds along canyon flanks presented eroded and highly reworked surface sediments resulting from the passage of heavy trawling gear. Sedimentation rates on the upper canyon axes tripled and quadrupled its natural (i.e. pre-industrialization) values after a substantial increase in total horsepower of the operating trawling fleets between 1960s and 1970s. These impacts affected the upper canyon reaches next to fishing grounds, where sediment resuspended by trawling can be transported towards the canyon axes. This study highlights that bottom trawling has the capacity to alter natural sedimentary environments by promoting sediment-starved canyon flanks, and by enhancing sedimentation rates along the contiguous axes, independently of canyons' morphology. Considering the global mechanisation and offshore expansion of bottom trawling fisheries since the mid-20th century, these sedimentary alterations may occur in many trawled canyons worldwide, with further ecological impacts on the trophic status of these non-resilient benthic communities

Gamma oscillations in the temporal pole reflect the contribution of approach and avoidance motivational systems to the processing of fear and anger words

Prior reports suggest that affective effects in visual word processing cannot be fully explained by a dimensional perspective of emotions based on valence and arousal. In the current study, we focused on the contribution of approach and avoidance motivational systems that are related to different action components to the processing of emotional words. To this aim, we compared frontal alpha asymmetries and brain oscillations elicited by anger words associated with approach (fighting) motivational tendencies, and fear words that may trigger either avoidance (escaping), approach (fighting) or no (freezing) action tendencies. The participants’ task was to make decisions about approaching or distancing from the concepts represented by words. The results of cluster-based and beamforming analyses revealed increased gamma power band synchronization for fear words relative to anger words between 725 and 750 ms, with an estimated neural origin in the temporal pole. These findings were interpreted to reflect a conflict between different action tendencies underlying the representation of fear words in semantic and emotional memories, when trying to achieve task requirements. These results are in line with the predictions made by the fear-hinders-action hypothesis. Additionally, current data highlights the contribution of motivational features to the representation and processing of emotional wordsThis study was supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades of Spain (Grants PGC2018- 098558-B-I00, PID2019-107206GB-I00, and RED2018-102615- T), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain (Grant PSI2017-84922-R), Comunidad de Madrid (Grants H2019/HUM-5705 and SI1/PJI/2019-00061), Universitat Rovira i Virgili (Grant 2019PFR-URV-B2-32). DH-P was funded by a predoctoral FPU20/03345 gran

Commercial bottom trawling: a driver of deep seascape evolution in the Anthropocene?

EGU General Assembly 2013, 7-12 April, 2013, Vienna, AustriaThe offshore displacement of bottom trawling fleets has raised concerns over the impact of this human activity on deep-sea ecosystems and associated living resources, which are characterized by a lower resilience than shallow water correlatives. However, the effects of bottom trawling on sediment remobilization across continental margins and on the alteration of seafloor morphology still remain largely unaddressed. We present a compilation of results from studies conducted during the last decade in the La Fonera (Palamós) submarine canyon (NW Mediterranean Sea), where a bottom trawling fishing fleet is active on a daily basis at depths from 400 to 800 m. Deployments of mooring lines equipped with punctual and profiling current-meters, turbidimeters and sediment traps have documented that trawling gears passing along the canyon flanks generate daily sediment gravity flows, implying a periodic sediment removal from fishing grounds. These sediment-laden flows are able to reach the main canyon axis and progress to a minimum depth of 1200 m. Also, sediment accumulation rates in the lower canyon have increased since the industrialization of the local trawling fleet (1970s), suggesting a human-induced enhancement of along-canyon transfer of sediments from the fishing grounds to greater depths. Sedimentological and 210Pb analysis of interface sediment cores collected from the canyon flanks confirm that widespread erosion and stirring of surface sediments is notable on trawled areas when compared to control (untrawled) sites at similar depths. This chronic reworking and removal of surface sediments from trawling grounds has ultimately led to modifications of the seafloor morphology over large spatial scales, as revealed by high-resolution multibeam bathymetry and Vessel Monitoring Systems (VMS) data sets. Untrawled canyon flank segments are dominated by a dense network of tributary valleys that progress upslope from the main canyon axis, reaching up to five orders of bifurcation. Such complex morphology is missing in the trawled depth range and slightly below, where the sea floor becomes smoother and only the main branches of the tributary valley networks are preserved. Given the global dimension of commercial bottom trawling, our findings suggest that this human activity may have become a significant driver of sediment dynamics and seascape evolution over substantial parts of the world's upper continental slopesPeer Reviewe