Preliminary study of the atmospheric pollen in "Sierra de las Nieves" Natural Park (Southern Spain)

‘Sierra de las Nieves’ is a Natural Park and a Biosphere Reserve located in the south of Spain. This protected area has a high diversity of ecosystems with abundant endangered species which have led it to be in ways to become a National Park. Some of those species have anemophilous pollination strategies. Since 1991, the Aerobiology research team of the University of Malaga has been sampling and studying airborne pollen in different cities of Malaga province. Nevertheless, a pollen trap has never been installed inside a Natural Park for a continuous sampling process. The objectives of this study were to determinate the atmospheric pollen behaviour of the main taxa registered during winter and spring months in this protected area, as well as compare the results with the data obtained in urban stations during the same period searching for significant differences. The pollen samplings were made by means of a Hirst-type volumetric pollen trap inside the protected area of the Natural Park. The samples obtained were mounted and counted according to the methodology proposed by the Spanish Aerobiology Network (REA). The high vegetal diversity of ‘Sierra de las Nieves’ are reflected in the pollen counts. Significant differences between the sampligs obtained at ‘Sierra de las Nieves’, Malaga and the neraby city of Ronda stations were found regarding to the daily pollen concentration. The qualitative and quantitative differences can be explained by the different land use, altitude, climatic characteristics and by the distance between aerobiological stations and pollen emission sources. There is an important influence of wind dymanic and others meteorological factors.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Backward air trajectory models for detecting pollen airborne sources of Castanea in Ronda (South Spain)

Ronda is located in a rural area close to the natural Parks Sierra de Grazalema and Sierra de las Nieves, surrounded by crops, natural and seminatural vegetation. The Genal Valley, which is located at the southwest of Ronda, is the biggest Castanea sativa Mill. crop area in Andalusia (South Spain) but there are also others C. sativa crops in different areas close to Ronda. This increases the Castanea atmospheric pollen levels in Ronda, the highest of Malaga province. Castanea pollen has been cited by different authors as potentially allergenic. The objective of this preliminary study was to determine the main sources of Castanea pollen detected in Ronda during the period in which the highest concentrations were detected along the year 2017. The pollen samplings were made by means of a Hirst-type volumetric pollen trap. The samples obtained were mounted and counted according to the methodology proposed by the Spanish Aerobiology Network (REA). Backward air trajectories were calculated according to HYSPLIT 4 model. Models were run five times a day by using R software for the whole month of June 2017. Due to the wind dynamics in Ronda, the main source of Castanea airborne pollen was not the expected (the Genal Valley). The dominant winds in June 2017 came from the southeast of Ronda and brought Castanea pollen from the crops of two nearby localities, Istan and Ojen, which are widely smaller than those situated in the Genal Valley. Therefore, due to the high pollen production of these crops, predictive models for the Castanea airborne pollen in Ronda should be done in future researches in order to prevent allergic diseases in the population. Additionally, by studing air trajectory models, the cross pollination between Castanea populations in the area can be estimated.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Preliminary study of the airborne pollen in the atmosphere of Puerto Ayora (Galapagos Islands, Ecuador)

Galapagos is an archipelago of volcanic islands located 972 km west from the continental Ecuador. They were declared by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve due to their singular environmental value, where a third part of the native plants are endemic to this archipelago (Jaramillo et al., 2011). In spite of the numerous scientific studies carried out in Galapagos, there are not any aerobiological samplings being performed currently. The main objectives of this study were to install a pollen trap for detecting the presence of pollen in the atmosphere of Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz, Galapagos Islands) and qualitatively identify the different pollen types detected during the studied period. A Durham (1946) gravimetric pollen trap was modified to turn it into a passive impact pollen trap based on Pla Dalmau (1957) modifications. It was placed on the roof of the Galapagos National School (Puerto Ayora, Santa Cruz Island) at a height of 15m above ground level. The samples were obtained by using silicone fluid as adhesive substance and glycerine gelatine as mounting mean. The pollen grains were counted in a surface of 14 x 48 mm in each sample. The pollen types were identified with the aid of the pollen guide of the Galapagos Island by Jaramillo & Trigo (2011) and the Charles Darwin Foundation pollen bank. Pollen types of endemic plants such as Darwiniothamnus sp., Passiflora foetida var. galapagensis Killip, Justicia galapagana Lindau and Castela galapageia Hook. f. were detected together with those of other native and introduced species. A high diversity of pollen types was detected, reflecting the particular vegetation of the island. This preliminary aerobiological information can be used as precedent for further studies on the pollination of native and introduced species of the Galapagos Islands, as well as for detecting possible allergic diseases in the population.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

El test mongil de actividades de la vida diaria básicas, instrumentales y avanzadas y su utilidad en el envejecimiento

El declive funcional del organismo parece comenzar cuando desciende la secreción de hormona del crecimiento, manifestándose el envejecimiento cuando decrece la vitalidad y proporcionalmente aumenta la vulnerabilidad. El envejecimiento es un proceso decreciente intrínsecamente unido a la fragilidad, que es una condición que antecede a la discapacidad. En gerontología se precisa un abordaje global que integre las consecuencias de la enfermedad y sus dimensiones psicológicas y sociales, pues todo ello repercute en lo que en términos de salud llamamos función del individuo y por ende en su calidad de vida. Es prioritario llegar a la cuantificación y objetivación del estado funcional de los individuos integrantes de poblaciones para que el resultado, como base del estudio poblacional, sirva de referencia y permita conclusiones comparativas. Es por ello que partiendo de los test CM 98 de Actividades de la Vida Diaria (AVD) Básicas (B) e Instrumentales (I) y siguiendo la estructura, criterios de construcción y características de estas pruebas, se proponen los test Mongil de AVD B, I y Avanzadas (A) que suponen una innovación pues con tan sólo un cambio en el orden de aplicación de las preguntas muestran unos beneficios reseñables. Entre los mismos destacamos la mayor facilidad para poder ejecutar estas pruebas pues presentan un orden lógico y como resultado del mismo se obtiene información vinculada con la presencia de deterioro cognitivo y/o demencia en los tres test. Otro aspecto a considerar es la posibilidad de ser utilizados como prueba útil en el transcurso de un psicodiagnóstico en los distintos niveles asistenciales donde se atiende a personas mayores: consultas para aquellos que residen en la comunidad, residencias y hospitales. Estas mediciones tienen, además, un alto interés no sólo para los clínicos sino también para los economistas de la salud por su relación directa con la dependencia.The functional deterioration of the organism seems to start when the secretion of the growth hormone descends, and this hormone starts showing the ageing when the vitality descends and proportionally the vulnerability increases. Ageing is a process that descends intrinsically and it is connected with the fragility, which is a condition that precedes the disabilities. In terms of gerontology is required a global approach that settles in the consequences of the disease and its psychological and social dimensions, because all this has a repercussion in terms of health that we know as “functions” of the individual and moreover in life’s quality. It is a priority to reach the quantifications or objectivity of the functional phase of the individuals that form the population, to create a result based on the research of the population that can serve as a reference and also can allow comparative conclusions. Taking into account the test CM 98 Basic activities of daily living (BADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) following the structure, the criterion of construction and the characteristics of the test, It is proposed to use test Mongil of BADL, IADL and Advanced activities of daily living (AADL), that suppose an innovation because with a simple change in the order of the application of the questions, they show prominent benefits. Basing on theses benefits we outline an increase on the facility of executing these tests because they present a logical order and, as a result of this fact is possible to obtain information related with the presence of cognitive impairment and/or dementia in the tests. Another aspect to consider is the possibility of being used as a useful test in the course of a psychodiagnosis in the various levels of care where seniors are attended: consultations for those residing in the community, nursing home and hospitals. These measurements also have a great interest not only to clinicians but also for health economists for its direct relationship with the dependence

Validation of a wearable accelerometer-based activity monitor for use in future osteoporosis prevention programs

Osteoporosis is considered a major public health problem worldwide. In order to develop effective physical exercise protocols for the prevention of osteoporosis and ensure skeletal integrity, the intensity of the exercise must be quantified objectively and accurately. This study aimed to assess the validity of a wearable accelerometer-based activity monitor for use in osteoporosis prevention programs. Eighteen premenopausal women completed an exercise protocol consisting of five countermovement jumps followed by four treadmill bouts at different speeds. Participants carried two pairs of accelerometers (Muvone® and ActiGraph GT3X+) located on the wrist and hip. Three types of analysis were performed: (1) association between measurements from both devices; (2) level of similarity in group estimates; and (3) evaluation of measurement bias. High to almost perfect correlations between the peak acceleration measured by both devices were found in all protocol tests (r = 0.607-0.975, p < 0.001). Differences in group estimates were non-significant and measurement bias between devices was below 6%. In conclusion, the validity of Muvone® to quantify acceleration has been tested at both the wrist and hip and could be used to assess mechanical loading during physical activities for the implementation of population-wide osteoporosis prevention programs

Assessing The Students’ Prospective Perceptions Of The Final Master Project In Actuarial Science

The final master project plays a key role in the curriculum design of the Actuarial Science Master degree at the University of Málaga. Students have to fulfil their projects at the end of the two-years study program in order to get the master’s degree. The nature of the projects requires the combination of a wide range of skills, which includes analytical and technical ones, as well as professional and soft skills. From this point of view, completing a final master project in this study program can become an interesting opportunity to experiment with real tasks of the actuarial profession before entering the labour market. Furthermore, the Actuarial Science Master degree at the University of Málaga offers the possibility of including a working actuary as a second supervisor, besides the academic one. Simulating or working with real problems in the field of Actuarial Science in the final master project, which use to be complex in nature and often multidisciplinary, also constitutes a useful way to integrate the contents of the different courses of the study program and get them in context. However, the quick transition of our students to the professional market, mainly through the internships, sometimes becomes a hurdle to properly finish the final projects in the scheduled academic calendar. In an attempt to improve the satisfaction and success rates, a group of lecturers are conducting a broad study about the final master project in Actuarial Science, that includes subjective aspects.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

Automation of Invoice Processing with ERP Integration Using RPA Tools

In most organizations, invoice processing is still done manually and time-consuming, because many of the invoices still come in paper form or by email. From the moment the invoice enters the organization until it is available in the management software it goes through several steps, such as, scanning, storage, approval and integration into the management software, usually an ERP system, steps that are not automated and must be performed by employees, sometimes typing all the information of the invoice in the ERP system. To automate this process, this paper presents a management information system based on Robotic Process Automation technologies

Atmospheric pollen dynamics in Malaga (s. Spain) during 2013-2014. Seasonal trends

In this work we present the atmospheric pollen results obtained in Malaga, a coastal Mediterranean city situated in southern Spain, throughout 2013 and 2014. The main objective is to compare the results obtained these years with those registered during the 21 previous years (1992-2012) and detect possible significant trends. The samplings were made with the aid of a Hirst-type volumetric pollen trap (Hirst, 1952) situated on the roof of the building of the Faculty of Sciences, Campus de Teatinos. The mounting of the samples and the pollen counting were according to the methodology proposed by the Spanish Aerobiology Network, the REA (Galán et al., 2007). In this work, the seasonal evolution of the different taxa, annual pollen index and features of the main pollen season (length and start, end and peak days) are studied and the results obtained in 2013 and 2014 are compared to the average values of the previous years in order to detect differences related to climate change. The annual mean temperature have been rising in 2013 and 2014 (19.1 and 19.9ºC) comparing to the average of the last 20 years (18.7ºC). The annual total rainfall have been declining in 2013 and 2014 (354.7 and 373.1 mm) comparing to the average of the last 20 years (546.2 mm). The relative humidity declined in 2014 (60.6%) compared to last 20 years (66.6%). Among the significant trends that we have observed are: increase in the annual pollen index of Quercus and Olea, decrease in the annual pollen index of Chenopodiaceae, Plantago and Cyperaceae, delay in the end and increase in the length of the main pollen season of Quercus, delay and reduction in the length of the main pollen season of Gramineae pollen.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tec

A Validated HPLC Method for the Determination of Vanillyl Butyl Ether in Cosmetic Preparations

A specific HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) method has been developed and validated for the determination of vanillyl butyl ether in cosmetic products. The extraction procedure with an isopropanol water 1:1 mixture is described. The method uses a RP-C-18 column with isocratic elution and an ultraviolet (UV) detector. The mobile phase consists of a mixture of acetonitrile and buffer (Na2HPO4 20 mM in water) (30:70 v/v) with a variable flow rate. The method was validated with respect to accuracy, precision (repeatability and reproducibility), specificity and linearity. The procedure described here is simple, selective and reliable for routine quality control analysis and stability tests of commercially available cosmetic products.Francisco Ríos acknowledges the support fromthe Spanish Ministry of Economy, Industry and Competitiveness within the postdoctoral grant “Ayudas para contratos Torres Quevedo” (PTQ-15-07879)