Geochemical Background and Baseline Values Determination and Spatial Distribution of Heavy Metal Pollution in Soils of the Andes Mountain Range (Cajamarca-Huancavelica, Peru)

[EN]Concentrations of seven heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and one metalloid (As) as well as various parameters (pH, organic carbon, granulometric analysis and cation exchange capacity) were analyzed in 77 soil samples collected in the mining areas of La Zanja and Colquirrumi (Department of Cajamarca) and Julcani (Department of Huancavelica). Our study proposed geochemical baseline values for heavy metals in a natural region (La Zanja) from samples collected during the period of the environmental impact study (2006), that is, from an earlier period which occurred at the beginning of the exploitation of the current gold mine. The baseline values obtained were as follows: 8.26 mg kg−1 for Cr; 56.97 mg kg−1 for Ni; 22, 20 mg kg−1 for the Cu; 47.42 mg kg−1 for Zn; 27.50 mg kg−1 for As; 4.36 mg kg−1 for Cd; 4.89 mg kg−1 for Hg, and 44.87 mg kg−1 for Pb. Through the use of different indices of heavy metal contamination (geo-accumulation index (Igeo), improved Nemerow index (IIN) and potential ecological risk index (RI)), the degree of pollution caused by mining activities in two areas, Colquirrumi and Julcani, which have a high density of mining sites in operation, was determined

Investigation of the critical state in soil mechanics using DEM

The existence and uniqueness of the so-called critical state in soil mechanics is validated in our DEM simulations of irregular polygonal particles. For different particle shape characteristics, the critical state is independent of the initial stress and density conditions. We retain low stress levels, since we do not take into account the crushing of particles. In biaxial test simulations isotropic particles evolve toward a limiting state in which the system reaches a critical void ratio and deforms with constant volume, deviatoric stress, fabric anisotropy, and mechanical coordination number. The last one has been found to be the first variable to attain a critical value making possible for the rest of micro-and-macro-mechanical variables the convergence to the critical state. In periodic shear cell tests, for large shear deformations samples with anisotropic particles reach at the macro-mechanical level the same critical value for both shear force and void ratio. At the micro-mechanical level the components of the stress tensor, the fabric tensor and the inertia tensor of the particles also reach the same stationary state. By varying the aspect ratio of the particles we stated the strong influence of particle shape anisotropy on the parameters that the granular packing attained at the critical state

Regeneration dynamics in fragmented landscapes at the leading edge of distribution: Quercus suber woodlands as a study case

[EN] Aims We studied the regeneration dynamics of woodlands and abandoned old fields in a landscape dominated by Quercus suber in its lower limits of rainfall and temperature. Two hypotheses were established: (1) regeneration of Quercus species is strongly favored by the presence of tree cover; and (2) growth of Q. suber is driven by the climatic variables that represent the lower ecological limit of its leading distribution edge. Methods We selected woodlands and old fields with and without tree remnants (n = 3 per type), and analyzed stand structure, soil parameters and tree growth. Results Succession was arrested in old fields without tree remnants. By contrast, remnant trees were accelerators of forest recovery in old fields. Tree cover played a fundamental role in Quercus recruitment throughout seed dispersal and facilitation that mitigate the effects of summer drought on seedlings. Also, tree cover improved soil parameters (e.g., organic matter) that are important factors for understanding differences in regeneration. Winter/spring precipitation exerted a positive effect on tree growth, as well as temperatures during winter/spring and September. Conclusions Regeneration dynamics are modeled by the density of tree cover in the cold and dry edge of the distribution area of Q. suber where Q. ilex is increasing in abundance. Although temperature has a positive effect on the tree growth of Q. suber, when demographic processes are considered, decreases in water availability likely play a critical role in Q. ilex recruitment. This in turn changes dominance hierarchies, especially in abandoned areas with little or no tree cover.This study was funded by project SA013G19 from “Junta de Castilla y León” and by research grants awarded for final projects directed in the Master’s degree in Biology and Conservation of Biodiversity at the University of Salamanca, Spain.Publicación en abierto financiada por el Consorcio de Bibliotecas Universitarias de Castilla y León (BUCLE), con cargo al Programa Operativo 2014ES16RFOP009 FEDER 2014-2020 DE CASTILLA Y LEÓN, Actuación:20007-CL - Apoyo Consorcio BUCL

Prácticas geoambientales: realidad aumentada en recursos docentes

Memoria ID-209. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2018-2019

RET Fusion Testing in Patients With NSCLC: The RETING Study

Introduction: RET inhibitors with impressive overall response rates are now available for patients with NSCLC, yet the identi fication of RET fusions remains a dif ficult challenge. Most guidelines encourage the upfront use of next -generation sequencing (NGS), or alternatively, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) or reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) when NGS is not possible or available. Taken together, the suboptimal performance of single-analyte assays to detect RET fusions, although consistent with the notion of encouraging universal NGS, is currently widening some of the clinical practice gaps in the implementation of predictive biomarkers in patients with advanced NSCLC. Methods: This situation prompted us to evaluate several RET assays in a large multicenter cohort of RET fusion -positive NSCLC (n 1 / 4 38) to obtain real -world data. In addition to RNA -based NGS (the criterion standard method), all positive specimens underwent break -apart RET FISH with two different assays and were also tested by an RT-PCR assay. Results: The most common RET partners were KIF5B (78.9%), followed by CCDC6 (15.8%). The two RET NGSpositive but FISH -negative samples contained a KIF5B(15)RET(12) fusion. The three RET fusions not identi fied with RT-PCR were AKAP13(35)-RET(12) , KIF5B(24)-RET(9) and KIF5B(24)-RET(11) . All three false -negative RT-PCR cases were FISH -positive, exhibited a typical break -apart pattern, and contained a very high number of positive tumor cells with both FISH assays. Signet ring cells, psammoma bodies, and pleomorphic features were frequently observed (in 34.2%, 39.5%, and 39.5% of tumors, respectively). Conclusions: In-depth knowledge of the advantages and disadvantages of the different RET testing methodologies could help clinical and molecular tumor boards implement and maintain sensible algorithms for the rapid and effective detection of RET fusions in patients with NSCLC. The likelihood of RET false -negative results with both FISH and RT-PCR reinforces the need for upfront NGS in patients with NSCLC. (c) 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. on behalf of the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Hunt for new phenomena using large jet multiplicities and missing transverse momentum with ATLAS in 4.7 fb−1 of s√=7TeV proton-proton collisions

Results are presented of a search for new particles decaying to large numbers of jets in association with missing transverse momentum, using 4.7 fb−1 of pp collision data at s√=7TeV collected by the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider in 2011. The event selection requires missing transverse momentum, no isolated electrons or muons, and from ≥6 to ≥9 jets. No evidence is found for physics beyond the Standard Model. The results are interpreted in the context of a MSUGRA/CMSSM supersymmetric model, where, for large universal scalar mass m 0, gluino masses smaller than 840 GeV are excluded at the 95% confidence level, extending previously published limits. Within a simplified model containing only a gluino octet and a neutralino, gluino masses smaller than 870 GeV are similarly excluded for neutralino masses below 100 GeV

Measurement of the inclusive and dijet cross-sections of b-jets in pp collisions at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

The inclusive and dijet production cross-sections have been measured for jets containing b-hadrons (b-jets) in proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of sqrt(s) = 7 TeV, using the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The measurements use data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 34 pb^-1. The b-jets are identified using either a lifetime-based method, where secondary decay vertices of b-hadrons in jets are reconstructed using information from the tracking detectors, or a muon-based method where the presence of a muon is used to identify semileptonic decays of b-hadrons inside jets. The inclusive b-jet cross-section is measured as a function of transverse momentum in the range 20 < pT < 400 GeV and rapidity in the range |y| < 2.1. The bbbar-dijet cross-section is measured as a function of the dijet invariant mass in the range 110 < m_jj < 760 GeV, the azimuthal angle difference between the two jets and the angular variable chi in two dijet mass regions. The results are compared with next-to-leading-order QCD predictions. Good agreement is observed between the measured cross-sections and the predictions obtained using POWHEG + Pythia. MC@NLO + Herwig shows good agreement with the measured bbbar-dijet cross-section. However, it does not reproduce the measured inclusive cross-section well, particularly for central b-jets with large transverse momenta.Comment: 10 pages plus author list (21 pages total), 8 figures, 1 table, final version published in European Physical Journal

Jet energy measurement with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at root s=7 TeV

The jet energy scale and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 38 pb-1. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-kt algorithm with distance parameters R=0. 4 or R=0. 6. Jet energy and angle corrections are determined from Monte Carlo simulations to calibrate jets with transverse momenta pT≥20 GeV and pseudorapidities {pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy systematic uncertainty is estimated using the single isolated hadron response measured in situ and in test-beams, exploiting the transverse momentum balance between central and forward jets in events with dijet topologies and studying systematic variations in Monte Carlo simulations. The jet energy uncertainty is less than 2. 5 % in the central calorimeter region ({pipe}η{pipe}<0. 8) for jets with 60≤pT<800 GeV, and is maximally 14 % for pT<30 GeV in the most forward region 3. 2≤{pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy is validated for jet transverse momenta up to 1 TeV to the level of a few percent using several in situ techniques by comparing a well-known reference such as the recoiling photon pT, the sum of the transverse momenta of tracks associated to the jet, or a system of low-pT jets recoiling against a high-pT jet. More sophisticated jet calibration schemes are presented based on calorimeter cell energy density weighting or hadronic properties of jets, aiming for an improved jet energy resolution and a reduced flavour dependence of the jet response. The systematic uncertainty of the jet energy determined from a combination of in situ techniques is consistent with the one derived from single hadron response measurements over a wide kinematic range. The nominal corrections and uncertainties are derived for isolated jets in an inclusive sample of high-pT jets. Special cases such as event topologies with close-by jets, or selections of samples with an enhanced content of jets originating from light quarks, heavy quarks or gluons are also discussed and the corresponding uncertainties are determined. © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration