A Simple Method for Tidal Current Prediction in Short Length Convergent Channels An Application to the Vigo and Pontevedra Estuaries

In this paper a simple method for tidal current modelling in short length convergent and elongated channels is presented. The authors have found that for this kind of channels a very suitable approach to tidal current velocity estimation can be obtained through a very simple formula. This method has been developed to obtain reliable tidal current velocity estimations along the channel using as less information as possible. In fact, the only necessary information to apply this method are the harmonic constants of the tidal elevation at any location in the channel and a proper nautical chart. A graphical method is also presented to inquire when the geometrical characteristics of a given channel allow the application of our method. The validation has been performed on two estuaries of the Gallega Estuarine System in Spain

Evolución de variables durante la primera puesta en marcha de filtros anaeróbicos para la descontaminación de lixiviados

Se estudió el grado de descontaminación logrado durante la primera puesta en marcha de dos filtros anaeróbicos alimentados con lixiviados extraídos de un relleno sanitario de Jujuy, como así también la evolución del pH, de la alcalinidad y del contenido total de ácidos volátiles en los líquidos de salida de los reactores. Se analizó la influencia de la eliminación parcial previa de metales en el lixiviado alimentado, Los líquidos de salida del estado estacionario final tuvieron una carga orgánica que supera los valores establecidos por las normas sanitarias de Jujuy para el oxígeno consumido del permanganato y para la demanda bioquímica de oxígeno. La eficiencia de descontaminación fue baja, independientemente de la coagulación previa del lixiviado, lo que puede haberse debido a una inoculación insuficiente del material de soporte bacteriano, o a la baja biodegradabilidad de los lixiviados empleados.Asociación Argentina de Energías Renovables y Medio Ambiente (ASADES

Proton Conductors based on Metal Phosphonate Hybrid Materials for PEM Fuel Cells

The necessity of energy and power generation is constantly growing. Fossils fuels are quickly becoming unsatisfactory substrates due to both their emission of pollutants and their finite expectancy. Fuel cells are one of the best alternatives as they are clean, durable, and highly efficient 1. MOFs will be attractive candidates for this application because of their tuneable pore size functionality as well as their chemical and thermal stability and presence of acidic protons within their structure2. In the present work, we report the syntheses, crystal structural and proton conductivities of various metal phosphonate derivatives, using both rigid (5-(dihydroxyphosphoryl)isophthalic acid, PiPhtA and 2-hydroxyphosphonoacetic acid, HPAA) and flexible (hexa- or octamethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis-(methylenephosphonic acid, H8HDTMP or H8ODTMP) multifunctional ligands. These materials show 3D open-frameworks containing 1D channels decorated with phosphonic and carboxylic acid groups and filled with hydrogen bonded water molecules what make them good candidates as proton conductors. For instance, Ca-PiPhtA, containing a rigid ligand, exhibits a proton conductivity of 5.7•10-4 S/cm which increases to 6.6•10-3 S/cm when the sample is exposed to ammonia vapors3. Other magnesium or lanthanides metal phosphonates, built with flexible ligands, show conductivities values range between 1.6 10-3 S/cm (for MgODTMP4) and 8.6 10-3 S/cm (for LaHDTMP5) at T=292K at ~100% relative humidity, and activation energies values typically attributed to a Grotthuss mechanism.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

High Proton Conductivity in a Flexible, Cross-Linked, Ultramicroporous Magnesium Tetraphosphonate Hybrid Framework

Multifunctional materials, especially those combining two or more properties of interest, are attracting immense attention due to their potential applications. MOFs, metal organic frameworks, can be regarded as multifunctional materials if they show another useful property in addition to the adsorption behavior. Here, we report a new multifunctional light hybrid, MgH6ODTMP·2H2O(DMF)0.5 (1), which has been synthesized using the tetraphosphonic acid H8ODTMP, octamethylenediamine-N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(methylenephosphonic acid), by highthroughput methodology. Its crystal structure, solved by Patterson-function direct methods from synchrotron powder Xray diffraction, was characterized by a 3D pillared open framework containing cross-linked 1D channels filled with water and DMF. Upon H2O and DMF removal and subsequent rehydration, MgH6ODTMP·2H2O (2) and MgH6ODTMP·6H2O (3) can be formed. These processes take place through crystalline−quasi-amorphous−crystalline transformations, during which the integrity of the framework is maintained. A water adsorption study, at constant temperature, showed that this magnesium tetraphosphonate hybrid reversibly equilibrates its lattice water content as a function of the water partial pressure. Combination of the structural study and gas adsorption characterization (N2, CO2, and CH4) indicates an ultramicroporous framework. High-pressure CO2 adsorption data are also reported. Finally, impedance data indicates that 3 has high proton conductivity σ = 1.6 × 10−3 S cm−1 at T = 292 K at ∼100% relative humidity with an activation energy of 0.31 eV.Proyecto nacional MAT2010-15175 (MICINN, España

The AGN content in luminous IR galaxies at z\sim2 from a global SED analysis including Herschel data

We use Herschel-PACS far-infrared data, combined with previous multi-band information and mid-IR spectra, to properly account for the presence of an active nucleus and constrain its energetic contribution in luminous infrared (IR) sources at z\sim2. The sample is composed of 24 sources in the GOODS-South field, with typical IR luminosity of 10^{12} Lo. Data from the 4 Ms Chandra X-ray imaging in this field are also used to identify and characterize AGN emission. We reproduce the observed spectral energy distribution (SED), decomposed into a host-galaxy and an AGN component. A smooth-torus model for circum-nuclear dust is used to account for the direct and re-processed contribution from the AGN. We confirm that galaxies with typical L_{8-1000um}\sim10^{12}Lo at z\sim2 are powered predominantly by star-formation. An AGN component is present in nine objects (\sim35% of the sample) at the 3sigma confidence level, but its contribution to the 8-1000 um emission accounts for only \sim5% of the energy budget. The AGN contribution rises to \sim23% over the 5-30 um range (in agreement with Spitzer IRS results) and to \sim60% over the narrow 2-6 um range. The presence of an AGN is confirmed by X-ray data for 3 (out of nine) sources, with X-ray spectral analysis indicating the presence of significant absorption, i.e. NH\sim10^{23}-10^{24} cm^{-2}. An additional source shows indications of obscured AGN emission from X-ray data. The comparison between the mid-IR--derived X-ray luminosities and those obtained from X-ray data suggests that obscuration is likely present also in the remaining six sources that harbour an AGN according to the SED-fitting analysis.Comment: 12 pages, including 5 figures. Accepted for publication in MNRA

Molecular survey of pyrethroid resistance mechanisms in Mexican field populations of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

Susceptibility to synthetic pyrethroids (SP´s) and the role of two major resistance mechanisms were evaluated in Mexican Rhipicephalus microplus tick populations. Larval packet test (LPT), knock-down (kdr) PCR allele-specific assay (PASA) and esterase activity assays were conducted in tick populations for cypermethrin, flumethrin and deltamethrin. Esterase activity did not have a significant correlation with SP´s resistance. However a significant correlation (p < 0.01) was found between the presence of the sodium channel mutation, and resistance to SP´s as measured by PASA and LPT respectively. Just over half the populations (16/28) were cross-resistant to flumethrin, deltamethrin and cypermethrine, 21.4% of the samples (6/28) were susceptible to all of the three pyrethroids 10.7 of the samples (3/28) were resistant to flumethrin, 3.4 of the samples (1/28) were resistant to deltamethrin only and 7.1% (2/28) were resistant to flumethrin and deltamethrin. The presence of the kdr mutation correlates with resistance to the SP´s as a class. Target site insensitivity is the major mechanism of resistance to SP´s in Mexican R. microplus field strains, involving the presence of a sodium channel mutation, however, esterase-based, other mutations or combination of mechanisms can also occur

Age determination procedures on small and medium pelagic species in Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO)

This handbook presents a summary of the age estimation procedures used in Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO) for some of the main commercial small and medium pelagic species of the Spanish fleet: anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus), sardine (Sardina pichardus), mackerel (Scomber scombrus), chuck mackerel (Scomber colias), horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus), Mediterranean horse mackerel (Trachurus mediterraneus) and blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou). It provides information about the sampling program, otolith extraction and preparation, and the age estimation criteria. A summary of the information related to the age accuracy, validation and corroboration of each species is also presented, as well as that related to the age precision, quality control and verification

Evaluando el progreso de la eficiencia con tecnología en una cadena de hoteles española

This paper analyzes the changes in the total factor productivity index of a Spanish hotel chain in the period from 2007 to 2010 with the purpose of identifying efficiency patterns for the chain in a period of financial crisis. The data envelopment analysis (DEA) Malmquist productivity index was used to estimate productivity change in 38 hotels of the AC chain. Results reveal AC hotels’ efficiency trends and, therefore, their competitiveness in the recession period; they also show the changes experienced in these hotels’ total productivity and its components: technological and efficiency changes. Positive efficiency changes were due to positive technical efficiency rather than technological efficiency. The recession period certainly influenced the performance of AC Hotels, which focused on organizational changes rather than investing in technology.Este artigo analisa as mudanças no fator total de produtividade de uma cadeia de hotéis na Espanha, no período de 2007-2010, com o propósito de identificar os padrões da cadeia em um período de crise financeira. O índice data envelopment analysis (DEA) Malmquist de produtividade foi usado para estimar a mudança da produtividade nos 38 hotéis da AC Cadeia de Hotéis. Os resultados revelaram as tendências de eficiência e competitividade da AC Hotéis em um período de recessão, bem como as mudanças vivenciadas na produtividade total e, consequentemente, em seus componentes de eficiência e tecnológicos. O período de recessão influenciou, sem dúvida, o comportamento da AC Hotéis, que buscou mais mudanças organizacionais do que tecnológicas.Este artículo analiza los cambios del índice de productividad del factor total de una cadena de hoteles españoles en el periodo de 2007 hasta 2010, con el propósito de identificar patrones de eficiencia para la cadena en un periodo de crisis financiera. El índice de productividad data envelopment analysis (DEA) Malmquist fue utilizado para estimar el cambio de productividad en 38 hoteles de la cadena AC. Los resultados revelan las tendencias de la eficiencia de los hoteles AC y, por lo tanto, su competitividad en el periodo de recisión; ellos también demuestran los cambios experimentados en la productividad total de eses hoteles y sus componentes: cambios de eficiencia y tecnológicos. Cambios de eficiencia positivos se debieron más bien a eficiencias técnicas positivas que a eficiencias tecnológicas. El periodo de recesión ciertamente ha influenciado los Hoteles AC, que enfocaron más en los cambios organizacionales que en invirtiendo en tecnología

The My Active and Healthy Aging (My-AHA) ICT platform to detect and prevent frailty in older adults: Randomized control trial design and protocol

[EN] Introduction Frailty increases the risk of poor health outcomes, disability, hospitalization, and death in older adults and affects 7%¿12% of the aging population. Secondary impacts of frailty on psychological health and socialization are significant negative contributors to poor outcomes for frail older adults. Method The My Active and Healthy Aging (My-AHA) consortium has developed an information and communications technology¿based platform to support active and healthy aging through early detection of prefrailty and provision of individually tailored interventions, targeting multidomain risks for frailty across physical activity, cognitive activity, diet and nutrition, sleep, and psychosocial activities. Six hundred adults aged 60 years and older will be recruited to participate in a multinational, multisite 18-month randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of the My-AHA platform to detect prefrailty and the efficacy of individually tailored interventions to prevent development of clinical frailty in this cohort. A total of 10 centers from Italy, Germany, Austria, Spain, United Kingdom, Belgium, Sweden, Japan, South Korea, and Australia will participate in the randomized controlled trial. Results Pilot testing (Alpha Wave) of the My-AHA platform and all ancillary systems has been completed with a small group of older adults in Europe with the full randomized controlled trial scheduled to commence in 2018. Discussion The My-AHA study will expand the understanding of antecedent risk factors for clinical frailty so as to deliver targeted interventions to adults with prefrailty. Through the use of an information and communications technology platform that can connect with multiple devices within the older adult's own home, the My-AHA platform is designed to measure an individual's risk factors for frailty across multiple domains and then deliver personalized domain-specific interventions to the individual. The My-AHA platform is technology-agnostic, enabling the integration of new devices and sensor platforms as they emerge.This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 689582 and the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council (NHRMC) European Union grant scheme (1115818). M.J.S. reports personal fees from Eli Lilly (Australia) Pty Ltd and grants from Novotech Pty Ltd, outside the submitted work. All other authors report nothing to disclose.Summers, MJ.; Rainero, I.; Vercelli, AE.; Aumayr, GA.; De Rosario Martínez, H.; Mönter, M.; Kawashima, R. (2018). 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