Assessment of temperature effect on bentonite microstructure deformability

The temperature effect on the microstructure deformability of compacted bentonites was assessed using a Clausius-Clapeyron type equation. To this end, vapor adsorption data obtained at different temperatures under low water content conditions was used, identifying changes in the microstructural water with changes in the microstructural void volume. The formulation proposed allows for an extension of the 2D-models used in macroscopic double-porosity approaches to a 3D surface in which temperature is explicitly considered. The results obtained were encouraging, fitting the experimental data highly satisfactorily. Therefore, the approach proposed in this study can be a key tool for characterizing the nonisothermal behavior of compacted bentonites.El efecto de la temperatura sobre la deformabilidad de la microestructura de las bentonitas compactadas se evaluó mediante una ecuación tipo Clausius-Clapeyron. Para ello, se utilizaron datos de adsorción de vapor obtenidos a diferentes temperaturas en condiciones de bajo contenido de agua, identificando cambios en el agua microestructural con cambios en el volumen vacío microestructural. La formulación propuesta permite una extensión de los modelos 2D utilizados en los enfoques macroscópicos de doble porosidad a una superficie 3D en la que se considera explícitamente la temperatura. Los resultados obtenidos fueron alentadores, ajustando muy satisfactoriamente los datos experimentales. Por lo tanto, el enfoque propuesto en este estudio puede ser una herramienta clave para caracterizar el comportamiento no isotérmico de las bentonitas compactadas

Temperature effect on gypsum-bearing soil and supported (building) foundations: The case of the Central Storage Facility of Villar de Cañas, Spain

Thermal load imposed on the ground by the foundations of some singular buildings may produce variations in geochemistry conditions. In soils containing soluble salts, such as gypsum, their dissolution/precipitation rates may be modified, triggering ground settlement as well as angular distortion of building foundations. This paper examines these processes for the case of the Central Storage Facility for high-level radioactive waste planned in Spain. This facility would impose a thermal load over a long period of time due to the disposal of spent nuclear fuel. A numerical model, including the equations for describing the dissolution/precipitation process, as well as the hydrogeological, thermal, chemical, and geomechanical changes in the ground caused by the construction and operation of the facilities, is proposed. The model focuses on the response of the building foundation under different hypothesis of thermal loading underneath the building. Comsol Multiphysics software was used for solving the resulting partial differential equations by the finite element method. This analysis concludes that moderate thermal loading of the ground would develop in the Case Study, with negligible mechanical effect on the foundation.La carga térmica impuesta al suelo por los cimientos de algunos edificios singulares puede producir variaciones en las condiciones geoquímicas . En suelos que contienen sales solubles, como el yeso , sus tasas de disolución/precipitación pueden modificarse, provocando asentamientos del suelo y distorsión angular de los cimientos de los edificios. Este artículo examina estos procesos para el caso de la Instalación Central de Almacenamiento de residuos radiactivos de alta actividad.prevista en España. Esta instalación impondría una carga térmica durante un largo período de tiempo debido a la eliminación del combustible nuclear gastado. Se propone un modelo numérico que incluye las ecuaciones para describir el proceso de disolución/precipitación, así como los cambios hidrogeológicos, térmicos, químicos y geomecánicos en el suelo provocados por la construcción y operación de las instalaciones. El modelo se centra en la respuesta de los cimientos del edificio bajo diferentes hipótesis de carga térmica debajo del edificio. Se utilizó el software Comsol Multiphysics para resolver las ecuaciones diferenciales parciales resultantes mediante el método de elementos finitos. Este análisis concluye que se desarrollaría una carga térmica moderada del suelo en el caso de estudio, con un efecto mecánico insignificante en la cimentación

Vitamin food fortification today

Historically, food fortification has served as a tool to address population-wide nutrient deficiencies such as rickets by vitamin D fortified milk. This article discusses the different policy strategies to be used today. Mandatory or voluntary fortification and fortified foods, which the consumer needs, also have to comply with nutritional, regulatory, food safety and technical issues. The ‘worldwide map of vitamin fortification’ is analysed, including differences between develop and developing countries. The vitamins, folate and vitamin D, are taken as practical examples in the review of the beneficial effect of different strategies on public health. The importance of the risk–benefit aspect, as well as how to identify the risk groups, and the food vehicles for fortification is discussed

Long-term monitoring of the distribution of a building's settlements: Sectorization and study of the underlying factors

The monitoring of the structural behaviour of singular buildings and the environmental variables that affect them is an upward trend on a global scale. This paper presents a monitoring project of the building of the Institute of Technology (IT) of the University of Castilla-La Mancha in Cuenca, Spain. Different monitoring actions were carried out, specifically there were installed 27 measuring points of the soil water content (both outside and under the building), 4 clinometers with thermometers, a weather station, and 22 points for topographical levelling, thirteen of which are located on the footings of the building. Although 3 of the clinometers recorded data marked almost entirely by the evolution of the interior temperature, the one located in Module 4 showed a more complex behaviour. In order to determine the possible underlying causes of this behaviour, the footings were grouped according to the evolution of the settlements obtained by differential levelling. For this purpose, a novel clustering technique based on the calculation of the Jeffreys distance has been used instead of other more common dissimilarity measures. The analysis revealed a potential cause of the anomalous behaviour of a group of footings and permitted the study of the influence of temperature and other environmental and operative variables on this behaviour, allowing the detection of anomalies in the future

Highly individual methylation patterns of alternative glucocorticoid receptor promoters suggest individualized epigenetic regulatory mechanisms

The transcription start sites (TSS) and promoters of many genes are located in upstream CpG islands. Methylation within such islands is known for both imprinted and oncogenes, although poorly studied for other genes, especially those with complex CpG islands containing multiple first exons and promoters. The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) CpG island contains seven alternative first exons and their promoters. Here we show for the five GR promoters activated in PBMCs that methylation patterns are highly variable between individuals. The majority of positions were methylated at levels >25% in at least one donor affecting each promoter and TSS. We also examined the evolutionarily conserved transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) using an improved in silico phylogenetic footprinting technique. The majority of these contain methylatable CpG sites, suggesting that methylation may orchestrates alternative first exon usage, silencing and controlling tissue-specific expression. The heterogeneity observed may reflect epigenetic mechanisms of GR fine tuning, programmed by early life environment and events. With 78% of evolutionarily conserved alternative first exons falling into such complex CpG islands, their internal structure and epigenetic modifications are bound to be biologically important, and may be a common transcriptional control mechanism used throughout many phyla

Conclusions of the II International and IV Spanish Hydration Congress. Toledo, Spain, 2nd-4th December, 2015

Water is the major component of our organism representing about 60% of total body weight in adults and has to be obtained through the consumption of different foods and beverages as part of our diet. Water is an essential nutrient performing important functions, including transport of other nutrients, elimination of waste products, temperature regulation, lubrication and structural support. In this context, hydration through water has an essential role in health and wellness, which has been highly acknowledged in recent years among the health community experts such as nutritionists, dietitians, general practitioners, pharmacists, educators, as well as by physical activity and sport sciences experts and the general population

Cuadernos de pedagogía

Resumen tomado de la publicaciónMonográfico con el título: “Alimentación y educación saludable”Educar en hábitos alimentarios es, sin duda, una inversión en salud para el futuro. Los centros educativos deben transmitir a niños y adolescentes los conocimientos y habilidades relacionadas con una buena alimentación basada en la salud, pero también en la cultura, la tradición, la cocina o la sostenibilidad medioambiental, trabajando con y para la familia. Y además pueden hacerlo en el aula y practicarlo en el comedor escolar.Biblioteca de Educación del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte; Calle San Agustín, 5 - 3 planta; 28014 Madrid; Tel. +34917748000; [email protected]

Hábitos alimentarios, estado nutricional y estilos de vida en una población de mujeres menopáusicas españolas Dietary food habits, nutritional status and lifestyle in menopausal women in Spain

Objetivo: Conocer la dieta y los hábitos alimentarios, a partir de un cuestionario de frecuencia de consumo de alimentos, de una muestra de 1.218 mujeres españolas en estado de menopausia-perimenopausia y edades comprendidas entre 40 y 77 años, procedentes de todas las Comunidades Autónomas. Resultados: La dieta de la muestra de estudio es equivalente a la dieta media de la población española, destacando los productos lácteos, que son consumidos en mayor cantidad por las mujeres participantes (aproximadamente 4 raciones/ día). La ingesta energética, de proteínas y de colesterol es elevada, así como de la mayoría de vitaminas y minerales. Únicamente se han encontrado ingestas deficitarias moderadas para el ácido fólico y la vitamina D. Las mujeres de mayor edad (> 60 años) consumen menos alimentos del grupo de huevos, dulces y azúcar y varios y, por tanto, de lípidos y colesterol, aunque también de vitamina D. Un IMC elevado (IMC > 25; 61% de la población) está asociado con un mayor consumo de carnes, pescados y huevos y, por tanto, de energía. Una dieta más adecuada (mayor consumo de lácteos, frutas, verduras, legumbres, cereales y pescados) está asociada a un estilo de vida más saludable (no fumar, practicar ejercicio físico) y a la ingesta de alimentos fortificados (52,7% de la muestra total) y suplementos vitamínicos y minerales (22,8% de la muestra total), aun cuando el aporte de los micronutrientes es suficiente a través de la dieta habitual. Conclusiones: En conjunto, la dieta de nuestra población de estudio se adecúa a los patrones de dieta saludable y actividad física, reflejo de la preocupación por la salud de la mujer en la etapa de la menopausia.Aim: To analyse the diet and the dietary food habits in a sample of 1,218 Spanish women, aged 40 to 77 years, in the menopausal or perimenopausal condition. Women were recruited nationwide and the diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Results: Diet in our population group was close to the representative dietary habits of the Spanish population, except for dairy products. These were highly consumed (approximately 4 servings/day) by menopausal women. Energy, protein and cholesterol intakes, as well as most vitamins and mineral intakes, were very high, as compared to recommended dietary allowances. We only found marginal deficient intakes for folate and vitamin D. Women over 60 years consume less eggs, sweats, sugar and miscellany, and therefore less lipids and cholesterol, as well as vitamin D, than younger women. A high rate (61%) of overweight and obesity (BMI > 25) was present in our population group and was associated with a higher intake of meat, fish and eggs, as well as energy. A healthier diet (high intake of dairy products, fresh vegetables, fruits, legumes, cereals and fish) was associated with a healthier lifestyle (no smoking, physical exercise) and the use of fortified foods and vitamin/mineral supplements. A high percentage of women regularly consumed fortified food (52,7%) and micronutrient supplements (22,8%) although diets provided enough vitamins and minerals. Conclusion: Diet in our study group is in accordance to healthy dietary habits and physical activity recommendations. This is probably due to a greater concern for health in women close to the menopause condition