Mitigación del cambio climático mediante técnicas de la agricultura ecológica en España

El Protocolo de Kyoto establece unos objetivos de control de emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero que se definen más detalladamente en los acuerdos post-Kyoto de las Conferencias de las Partes (COP). En este contexto, la Comisión Europea pretende incluir el apoyo a las acciones destinadas a controlar las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero (mitigar) el cambio climático en su estrategia de Desarrollo Rural para el periodo 2008 - 2013. Este estudio tiene como objetivos identificar las prácticas agrarias de la agricultura ecológica que reducen la emisión de gases con efecto invernadero y sugerir instrumentos de política agraria destinados a apoyar los cambios necesarios para lograr dicha reducción. Para ello el estudio desarrolla metodologías de caracterización de prácticas agrarias con potencial de mitigación, de evaluación de los costes de implementación y de análisis de las barreras e incentivos para su implantación. Los resultados sugieren que la agricultura ecológica tiene un potencial de mitigar el cambio climático. El estudio forma parte de un proyecto financiado por la Comisión Europea (PICCMAT, 2008) que tiene como objetivo formular recomendaciones sobre la capacidad de la agricultura para mitigar el cambio climático para su incorporación en la Política Agraria Común, focalizados en incentivos articulados a través de las medidas agroambientales o en la obligación de su implementación mediante un sistema de condicionalidad en el que los agricultores reciben la totalidad de sus ayudas solamente si cumplen determinados requisitos medioambientales

Wide-Field Multi-Parameter FLIM: Long-Term Minimal Invasive Observation of Proteins in Living Cells.

Time-domain Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) is a remarkable tool to monitor the dynamics of fluorophore-tagged protein domains inside living cells. We propose a Wide-Field Multi-Parameter FLIM method (WFMP-FLIM) aimed to monitor continuously living cells under minimum light intensity at a given illumination energy dose. A powerful data analysis technique applied to the WFMP-FLIM data sets allows to optimize the estimation accuracy of physical parameters at very low fluorescence signal levels approaching the lower bound theoretical limit. We demonstrate the efficiency of WFMP-FLIM by presenting two independent and relevant long-term experiments in cell biology: 1) FRET analysis of simultaneously recorded donor and acceptor fluorescence in living HeLa cells and 2) tracking of mitochondrial transport combined with fluorescence lifetime analysis in neuronal processes

Avances recientes en hormigón estructural reforzado con fibras, con especial atención a macro fibras sintéticas de poliolefina

Fibre-reinforced concrete (FRC) allows reduction in, or substitution of, steel-bars to reinforce concrete and led to the commonly named structural FRC, with steel fibres being the most widespread. Macro-polymer fibres are an alternative to steel fibres, being the main benefits: chemical stability and lower weight for analogous residual strengths of polyolefin-fibre-reinforced concrete (PFRC). Furthermore, polyolefin fibres offer additional advantages such as safe-handling, low pump-wear, light weight in transport and storage, and an absence of corrosion. Other studies have also revealed environmental benefits. After 30 years of research and practice, there remains a need to review the opportunities that such a type of fibre may provide for structural FRC. This study seeks to show the advances and future challenges of use of these polyolefin fibres and summarise the main properties obtained in both fresh and hardened states of PFRC, focussing on the residual strengths obtained from flexural tensile tests.El hormigón reforzado con fibras (HRF) permite la reducción parcial o total de barras de acero en el hormigón armado, acuñándose término HRF estructural, siendo las fibras de acero las más usadas. Las macro-fibras poliméricas son una alternativa a las de acero, aportando estabilidad química y menor peso para resistencias residuales iguales. Además, las fibras de poliolefina ofrecen beneficios adicionales tales como mayor seguridad de trabajo, menor desgaste de equipos de bombeo, menor peso en el transporte y almacenamiento, y ausencia de corrosión. Otros estudios también han revelado beneficios medio-ambientales. Después de 30 años de investigación y práctica, sigue siendo necesario analizar las oportunidades que estas fibras de poliolefina pueden proporcionar al HRF estructural. Este estudio muestra los avances y posibilidades del uso de estas fibras y resume las principales propiedades obtenidas tanto en estado fresco como endurecido, centrándose en la resistencia residual obtenida en los ensayos de tracción por flexión

Risk factors for developing clinical infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) amongst hospital patients initially only colonized with MRSA.

In hospital outbreaks of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) many patients are initially colonized without infection. The reasons why some progress to infection while others do not are not known. A cohort of 479 hospital patients, initially only colonized with MRSA, was followed prospectively for the development of MRSA infection. Risk factors for progression to infection were assessed using Cox proportional hazards survival analysis. Fifty-three patients (11.1%) developed 68 MRSA infections. Intensive care setting, administration of three or more antibiotics, ulcers, surgical wounds, nasogastric or endotracheal tubes, drains, and urinary or intravenous catheterization were all associated with increased rates of MRSA infection. Multivariate analysis showed that intensive care patients, compared with medical patients, had a higher rate of developing MRSA infection within the first four days of admission, with a hazard ratio of 26.9 (95% CI 5.7-126). Surgical wounds, pressure ulcers and intravenous catheterization were also independent risk factors, with hazard ratios (and 95% CI) of 2.9 (1.3-6.3); 3.0 (1.6-5.7) and 4.7 (1.4-15.6), respectively. These findings suggest that, during an MRSA outbreak, clinical infection would be reduced if surgical and intensive care patients received priority for the prevention of initial colonization with MRSA. Prevention of pressure ulcers, and strict aseptic care of intravenous catheters and surgical wounds would also reduce the development of MRSA infection. Since early treatment with vancomycin is known to reduce the mortality, patients colonized with MRSA who also have one or more of these risk factors may warrant empirical vancomycin therapy at the earliest suggestion of infection

A Robotic Solution for the Restoration of Fresco Paintings

In this paper, a service robot solution is presented for the analysis, surveying and restoration of fresco paintings. The proposed design approach integrates robot design and restoration operation. It aims to merge them into a feasible solution that can be both practical and feasible for restorers. The simulation results are reported to show a successful design solution, which has been conceived with the constraints of a low-cost user-oriented design and the consideration of cultural heritage

Exploring the independent association of employment status to cancer survivors’ health-related quality of life

Background: Having a job has been associated with better Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in cancer survivors. However, the sociodemographic and disease-related profiles characterizing the survivors being employed and those having better HRQOL largely overlap. The present study aims to discern the degree to which employment status is independently associated with cancer survivors' HRQOL or if it mainly reflects the impact of other sociodemographic and cancer-related variables. Methods: Cross-sectional study on a heterogeneous sample of 772 working-age survivors of adult-onset cancer. An instrument specifically designed to assess HRQOL in cancer survivors and Multivariate Variance Analysis (MANOVA) were used. Results: Survival phase, cancer type, and employment status showed the main effects on cancer survivors' HRQOL. In particular, being employed (vs unemployed) had the greatest positive association with HRQOL, affecting ten of the twelve HRQOL domains considered. Also, interaction effects highlighted the role of age (younger) and marital status (single) as risk factors for a greater negative impact of variables affecting the survivor's HRQOL. Conclusions: The application of a multivariate methodology sheds new light on two relevant issues for the cancer survivor's HRQOL: (i) the existence of differences between diagnostic groups that are not attributed to other variables such as sex, and (ii) the important and independent role that employment status plays. Comprehensive cancer survivorship care should focus more on high-risk groups and include having a job as an essential aspect to consider and prompt. The fact that the employment status is susceptible to change represents a valuable opportunity to care for the wellbeing of this population

Intra-abdominal pulmonary secuestration as an exceptional cause of abdominal mass in the adult

AbstractINTRODUCTIONPulmonary sequestration (PS) is an extremely rare malformation defined as a portion of lung tissue isolated from the pulmonary system. PSs are classified into intralobar type and intra-abdominal PS that represents only 2.5% of cases. There are 20 cases of PS reported in adults and only two were managed by laparoscopic approach. We report a case of intra-abdominal PS mimicking a gastroesophageal duplication cyst in an adult. Besides its rarity, this is the first intra-abdominal PS in an adult managed by an anterior laparoscopic approach.PRESENTATION OF CASEA 60-year-old female patient had had epigastric and left upper quadrant pain for several days. Physical examination was normal. Image test were consistent with a gastroesophageal duplication. The patient was taken to the operating room for laparoscopic exploration and resection. The pathological diagnosis was extralobar pulmonary sequestration.DISCUSSIONLess than 20 cases of PS have been reported in adults and only two cases were managed by a lateral laparoscopic approach. In contrast to these reports, we used an anterior approach due to the GEJ suspected origin of the mass.CONCLUSIONExtralobar intra-abdominal PS is an extremely rare condition during adulthood but this diagnosis should be included in the differential diagnosis of a left-sided suprarenal mass. Due to the difficulty in achieving a definitive preoperative diagnosis, surgery is recommended. Laparoscopic resection is safe and effective but careful preoperative imaging studies are recommended in order to plan the most suitable approach

Influencia de los métodos de conservación en las actividades enzimáticas de suelos forestales mediterráneos

Soil storage method may alter enzymatic activity being storage conditions of the soil samples prior to analysis decisive for the results. Studies made on freshly collected soils are generally preferred. However it is always not possible due to practical reasons since for example sampling is often restricted to short period of the year or because a great quantity of microbiological analyses must be made on time and by few people. On this context, soil storage methods are needed, being cold at 4°C the most widely used although sometimes alternative storage methods are also utilized. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of two alternative storage methods of soil samples (freezing at –20°C and air drying conservation methods) in comparison to cold at 4°C on the enzymatic activities (dehydrogenase, phosphatase, β-glucosidase and urease soil enzymes). Samples of two forest ecosystems (pine and holm oak forest stand) were taken in two different season of the year (winter and spring 2009). Results showed that enzymatic activities differed when freezing or air drying conservation methods were used in comparison with cold soil samples. Generally, alternative soil storage methods presented lower enzymatic activity than cold at 4°C. However, these changes depend on season and sampling location.El método de conservación del suelo utilizado puede alterar la actividad enzimática, siendo decisivas para los resultados, las condiciones de conservación previas a los análisis. Para los estudios es preferible realizar los análisis en muestras frescas y recién cogidas. Sin embargo, esto no es siempre posible por razones prácticas ya que las muestras se tienen que recoger en un corto periodo del año o porque los análisis los debe hacer poca gente y siempre en un determinado tiempo. En este contexto, se necesita un método de conservación, siendo el mantenimiento en el frigorífico a 4°C el método más usado, aunque existen otros métodos alternativos. El objetivo de este trabajo es el de evaluar el efecto de dos métodos alternativos de conservación (congelado a –20°C y secado a temperatura ambiente) sobre las actividades enzimáticas (deshidrogenasa, fosfatasa, β-glucosidasa y ureasa), en comparación con el mantenido en el frigorífico a 4°C. Las muestras se obtuvieron de dos zonas forestales diferentes (pinar y encinar) y en dos épocas distintas (primavera y verano de 2009). Los resultados mostraron diferencias en las actividades enzimáticas cuando se usó el congelado o secado al aire de las muestras de suelo en comparación con el mantenimiento en el frigorífico. De forma general, los métodos de conservación alternativos mostraron una menor actividad enzimática en las muestras de suelo analizadas. Sin embargo, estos cambios dependen de la época del año y la zona de muestreo