Study of the microbiological contamination in a gradient of the Mero River

Traballo fin de grao (UDC.CIE). Bioloxía. Curso 2016/2017[Resumen] El tramo el río Mero muestreado, comprendido entre la presa de Cecebre (La Coruña) y la depuradora de aguas en A Telva (La Coruña), presentó contaminación fecal en todos los puntos analizados. El rango de concentraciones obtenido fue de 126-294 UFC/mL para E. coli; 299-905 UFC/mL para coliformes totales; 15-48 UFC/mL para Clostridium; 1-45 UFC/mL para Streptococcus faecalis; 200-853 UFC/mL para mesófilos a 37ºC; 68-402 UFC/mL para mesófilos a temperatura ambiente. Uno de los puntos muestreado fue el que presentó el mayor grado de contaminación en todos los parámetros microbiológicos analizados. Esta contaminación parece tener su origen en un efluente (el río Brexa) cuyas aguas vierten en las proximidades del punto muestreado que obtuvo el mayor grado de contaminación. Estos resultados invitan a que las autoridades competentes tomen las medidas oportunas para monitorizar la contaminación del río Mero.[Resumo] O tramo do río Mero no que se recolleron as mostras, comprendido entre o encoro de Cecebre (A Coruña) e a depuradora de augas na Telva (A Coruña), presentou una contaminación fecal en todos os puntos analizados. O rango de concentracións obtido foi de 126-294 UFC/mL para E.coli; 299-905 UFC/mL para coliformes totais; 15-48 UFC/mL para Clostridium; 1-45 UFC/mL para Streptococcus faecalis; 200-853 UFC/mL para mesófilos a 37ºC; 68-402 UFC/mL para mesófilos a temperatura ambiente. Un dos puntos analizado foi o que presentou o maior grao de contaminación en todo-los parámetros microbiolóxicos analizados. Esta contaminación parece ter a súa orixe nun efluente (o río Brexa) cuxas augas chega ó río Mero nas proximidades do punto analizado que obtivo o maior grao de contaminación. Estes resultados convidan a que as autoridades competentes tomen as medidas oportunas para monitorizar a contaminación do río Mero.[Abstract] The sampled stretch of the Mero River, bound between the water-dam in Cecebre (Coruna) and the water-treatment plant in Telva (Coruna), presented faecal contamination in all analysed samples. Concentrations ranged between 126-294 CFU/mL for E. coli; 299-905 CFU/mL for total coliforms; 15-48 CFU/mL for Clostridium; 1-45 CFU/mL for Streptococcus faecalis; 200-853 CFU/mL for mesophiles at 37ºC; 68-402 CFU/mL for mesophiles at room temperature. One of the analysed points presented the highest degree pf contamination in all microbiological parametres analysed. This contamination seems to originate from an effluent (the Brexa River) that pours its waters near the analyzed site that presented the highest contamination concentration. These results warrant authorities to take the necessary steps to monitorize the contamination in the Mero River

Portfolio selection using neural networks

In this paper we apply a heuristic method based on artificial neural networks in order to trace out the efficient frontier associated to the portfolio selection problem. We consider a generalization of the standard Markowitz mean-variance model which includes cardinality and bounding constraints. These constraints ensure the investment in a given number of different assets and limit the amount of capital to be invested in each asset. We present some experimental results obtained with the neural network heuristic and we compare them to those obtained with three previous heuristic methods.Comment: 12 pages; submitted to "Computers & Operations Research

Data Note: VR Rehabilitation Rates of People with Mental Retardation/Developmental Disabilities (MR/DD) in 2005

Of the over 48,000 persons nationwide with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities (MR/DD) who closed out of the Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) system after receiving employment services in FY2005, more than half were successful closures, yielding a rehabilitation rate of 56.9%. This rehabilitation rate is calculated by dividing the number of successful closures, which is employment in any setting with the exception of sheltered workshops, by the total number of closures who received employment services

Data Note: Timeframe from Application to Closure in Integrated Employment for Vocational Rehabilitation Customers with Developmental Disabilities

Getting a job promptly after applying for vocational rehabilitation (VR) services is important for a successful career. Rapid placement boosts self-confidence and prevents applicants from losing work skills as a consequence of inactivity. Moreover, employers may prefer candidates whose work history shows limited gaps in employment

Is the Cepheus E Outflow driven by a Class 0 Protostar?

New early release observations of the Cepheus E outflow and its embedded source, obtained with the Spitzer Space Telescope, are presented. We show the driving source is detected in all 4 IRAC bands, which suggests that traditional Class 0 classification, although essentially correct, needs to accommodate the new high sensitivity infrared arrays and their ability to detected deeply embedded sources. The IRAC, MIPS 24 and 70 microns new photometric points are consistent with a spectral energy distribution dominated by a cold, dense envelope surrounding the protostar. The Cep E outflow, unlike its more famous cousin the HH 46/47 outflow, displays a very similar morphology in the near and mid-infrared wavelengths, and is detected at 24 microns. The interface between the dense molecular gas (where Cep E lies) and less dense interstellar medium, is well traced by the emission at 8 and 24 microns, and is one of the most exotic features of the new IRAC and MIPS images. IRS observations of the North lobe of the flow confirm that most of the emission is due to the excitation of pure H2 rotational transitions arising from a relatively cold (Tex~700 K) and dense (N{H}~9.6E20 cm-2 molecular gas.Comment: 14 pages (pre-print format), including 6 figures. Published in ApJ Special Spitzer Issue (2004

Role of the Coulomb and the vector-isovector ρ\rho potentials in the isospin asymmetry of nuclear pseudospin

We investigate the role of the Coulomb and the vector-isovector $\rho$ potentials in the asymmetry of the neutron and proton pseudospin splittings in nuclei. To this end, we solve the Dirac equation for the nucleons using central vector and scalar potentials with Woods-Saxon shape and $Z$ and $N-Z$ dependent Coulomb and $\rho$ potentials added to the vector potential. We study the effect of these potentials on the energy splittings of proton and neutron pseudospin partners along a Sn isotopic chain. We use an energy decomposition proposed in a previous work to assess the effect of a pseudospin-orbit potential on those splittings. We conclude that the effect of the Coulomb potential is quite small and the $\rho$ potential gives the main contribution to the observed isospin asymmetry of the pseudospin splittings. This isospin asymmetry results from a cancellation of the various energy terms and cannot be attributed only to the pseudospin-orbit term, confirming the dynamical character of this symmetry pointed out in previous works.Comment: 9 pages, 11 figures, uses revtex4; title was changed and several small corrections were made throughout the tex

Silencing of three members of the cytochrome p450 family of genes to uncover their role in iron regulation in A. thaliana

Abstract only availableIron absorption and distribution by an organism needs to be tightly regulated because iron is essential but in excess it can be dangerous and may even result in death. Through microarray analyses of iron-starved Arabidopsis plants (WT and a mutant) we discovered that three members of the Cytochrome p450 family of genes are up-regulated under iron deficiency. The genes are At4g31940, At4g31950 and At4g31970 and they are highly homologous to each other. Individual Arabidopsis knockouts do not show a phenotype suggesting that their function may be redundant. Since obtaining a triple mutant plant via crossings of individual KO lines is not achievable due to the three genes being tightly linked, here we employ a RNAi strategy to silence them. This approach will enable us to gain further insight into their role in iron homeostasis.Plant Genomics Internships @ M