Land-use changes and precipitation cycles to understand hydrodynamic responses in semiarid Mediterranean karstic watersheds

This research was funded partially by the Central University of Ecuador and by the projects RESERVOIR (PRIMA programme supported by the European Union under grant agreement no. 1924) and BBVA2021-Leonardo2 along with local companies (projects Comunidad Regantes 220-I and Comunidad Regantes 1-20T). Antonio Jodar-Abellan acknowledges financial support received from the project BBVA2021-Leonardo2. In the same way, this work has been conducted within the Catedra del Agua of the University of Alicante (catedradelaguaua.org). Moreover, authors acknowledge the reviewers of the manuscript whose comments contributed greatly to improve this paper.Non-planned agricultural land abandonment is affecting natural hydrological processes. This is especially relevant in vulnerable arid karstic watersheds, where water resources are scarce but vital for sustaining natural ecosystems and human settlements.However, studies assessing the spatiotemporal evolution of the hydrological responses considering land-use changes and precipitation cycles for long periods are rare in karstic environments. In this research, we selected a representative karstic watershed in a Mediterranean semiarid domain, since in this belt, karst environments are prone to land degradation processes due to human impacts. Geographic Information Systems-based tools and hydrological modeling considering daily time steps were combined with temporal analysis of climate variables (wavelet analysis) to demonstrate possible interactions and vulnerable responses. Observed daily flow data were used to calibrate/ validate these hydrological models by applying statistic indicators such as the NSE efficiency and a selfdeveloped index (the ANSE index). This new index could enhance goodness-of-fit measurements obtained with traditional statistics during the model optimization. We hypothesize that this is key to adding new inputs to this research line. Our results revealed that: i) changes in the type of sclerophyllous vegetation (Quercus calliprinos, ilex, rotundifolia, suber, etc.) from 81.5% during the initial stage (1990) to natural grasslands by 81.6% (2018); and, ii) decreases in agricultural areas (crops) by approximately 60% and their transformation into coniferous forests, rock outcrops, sparsely natural grasslands, etc. in the same period. Consequently, increases in the curve number (CN) rateswere identified as a result of land abandonment. As a result, an increase in peak flow events jointlywith a relevant decrease of the average flow rates (water scarcity) in the watershed was predicted by the HEC-HMS model and verified through the observed data. This research provides useful information about the effects of anthropogenic changes in the hydrodynamic behaviour of karstic watersheds andwater resource impacts, especially key in water-scarce areas that depict important hazards for the water supply of related populations and natural ecosystems.Central University of EcuadorEuropean Commission 1924Comunidad de Madrid 220-ICatedra del Agua of the University of Alicant

LOS ENTORNOS VIRTUALES DE ENSEÑANZA – APRENDIZAJE EN LA FORMACIÓN INICIAL DEL PROFESIONAL DE LA EDUCACIÓN

Desde la implementación de los planes de estudio A, hace más de 30 años, hasta los planes D vigentes actualmente para las carreras universitarias, se ha ido sistematizando de manera progresiva la introducción de las tecnologías de la información y las comunicaciones (TIC). El uso de estas, como medio de enseñanza para apoyar el aprendizaje en la formación inicial del profesional de la educación, ha cobrado hoy actualidad e importancia por el papel que juegan en los procesos formativos. Es evidente que, de acuerdo a la modalidad en que se desarrollan estos procesos, sería muy conveniente la utilización de los servicios que ofrecen los entornos virtuales de enseñanza-aprendizaje. Este artículo tiene como objetivo exponer experiencias adquiridas con el uso de los entornos virtuales de enseñanza-aprendizaje, al identificar sus fortalezas para la formación inicial del profesional de la educación en la modalidad presencial

Validación del Programa de Educación Jurídico ambiental del Consejo Popular San Vicente, Parque Nacional Viñales

The objective of the work consisted in the theoretical validation of the Environmental Legal Program to be implemented in the San Vicente Popular Council, belonging to the Viñales National Park. To demonstrate the effectiveness, the IADOV technique was applied in the link with environmental problems. A survey was developed and applied to know the criteria of specialists, on the content and form of the program. The selected sample was made up of ten specialists within the entities linked to the application of the program. The results show that the general satisfaction index was 0.7, demonstrating from a theoretical point of view the effectiveness of the proposed program.El objetivo del trabajo consistió en la validación teórica del Programa Jurídico Ambiental a implementarse en el Consejo Popular San Vicente, perteneciente al Parque Nacional Viñales. Para demostrar la efectividad, se aplicó la técnica IADOV en la vinculación con los problemas ambientales. Se elaboró y aplicó una encuesta para conocer el criterio de especialistas, sobre el contenido y la forma del programa. La muestra seleccionada estuvo compuesta por diez especialistas dentro de las entidades vinculadas con la aplicación del programa. Los resultados reflejan que el índice de satisfacción general fue del 0.7 demostrando desde el punto de vista teórico la efectividad del programa propuesto

Multi-object spectroscopy of stars in the CoRoT fields II: The stellar population of the CoRoT fields IRa01, LRa01, LRa02, and LRa06

With now more than 20 exoplanets discovered by CoRoT, it has often been considered strange that so many of them are orbiting F-stars, and so few of them K or M-stars. Although transit search programs are mostly sensitive to short-period planets, they are ideal for verifying these results. To determine the frequency of planets as a function of stellar mass, we also have to characterize the sample of stars that was observed. We study the stellar content of the CoRoT-fields IRa01, LRa01 (=LRa06), and LRa02 by determining the spectral types of 11466 stars. We used spectra obtained with the multi-object spectrograph AAOmega and derived the spectral types by using template spectra with well-known parameters. We find that 34.8+/-0.7% of the stars observed by CoRoT in these fields are F-dwarfs, 15.1+/-0.5% G-dwarfs, and 5.0+/-0.3% K-dwarfs. We conclude that the apparent lack of exoplanets of K- and M-stars is explained by the relatively small number of these stars in the observed sample. We also show that the apparently large number of planets orbiting F-stars is similarly explained by the large number of such stars in these fields. Our study also shows that the difference between the sample of stars that CoRoT observes and a sample of randomly selected stars is relatively small, and that the yield of CoRoT specifically is the detection one hot Jupiter amongst 2100+/-700 stars. We conclude that transit search programs can be used to study the relation between the frequency of planets and the mass of the host stars, and that the results obtained so far generally agree with those of radial velocity programs.Comment: 231 pages with 6 figures, A&A accepte

Phenotypic stability of traits associated with fruit quality in butternut squash (cucurbita moschata duch.)

The aim of this study was to identify and select genotypes with high fruit dry matter, represented by high starches and carotenes, to obtain a cultivar apt for agroindustrial processes. The model of Eberhart and Russell was used to measure the stability parameter and evaluate the phenotypic stability of traits associated with fruit quality in four populations of butternut squash at three localities in the department of Valle del Cauca (Colombia): Candelaria, Palmira and El Cerrito. Highly significant differences were detected for the genotype x location (P≤0.001) interaction for the traits of dry matter, carotene and starch. Except for population 1 in El Cerrito, there was a negative effect on the accumulation of photosynthates at 1,536 m a.s.l., probably due to the low quality of the heliophany. The populations 1, 2 and 3 were stable and predictable, complying with the parameters β = 1 and d = 0 of the Eberhart and Russell methodology. Population 1 was notable in terms of high fruit production, high dry matter content and good phenotypic stability

La importancia de las TIC en la construcción de opinión pública de los emprendimientos

The present scientific article is based on showing how the innovation and the application of contents in the social networks of the enterprises through the ICT, Storytelling and Content Marketing is achieved a transcendental digital reputation, is intended to show the success of brand positioning and sales Aimed at a clearly identified and defined target audience. It is proposed an analytical - descriptive methodology of these techniques to show the effectiveness of the digital campaigns of the business in the era 2.0 The results of a better dissemination of information are presented with clients who feel the need to follow the accounts of the enterprises for more information ; Attracts important audiences in order to know the brand and generate sales without losing sight of the deep users. The result of the creation of strategies is an increase in sales and an excellent digital reputation while getting to know the audiences that identify with the venture, taking advantage of the digital world, which is an excellent broadcast network to capture Specific publics with certain special characteristics.El presente artículo científico se basa en mostrar como la innovación y la aplicación de contenidos en las redes sociales  de los emprendimientos  mediantes las TIC, el Storytelling y Content Marketing se logra reputación digital trascendental,  se pretende mostrar el éxito de posicionamiento de marca y de ventas dirigido a un público objetivo claramente identificado y definido. Se propone una metodología analítico – descriptiva de éstas técnicas para mostrar la efectividad de las campañas digitales del negocio en la era 2.0 Se presentan los resultados de una mejor difusión de información con  clientes que sienten la necesidad de seguir las cuentas de los emprendimientos para más información; se atrae audiencias importantes con el fin de conocer la marca y generar ventas sin perder de vista  a los usuarios profundos. El resultado de la creación de  estrategias  es un incremento en ventas y una excelente reputación digital a la vez que se lograr conocer a las audiencias que se identifican con el emprendimiento, aprovechando el mundo digital, el cual es una excelente red de difusión para captar a públicos  específicos con ciertas características especiales

The ALHAMBRA Project: A large area multi medium-band optical and NIR photometric survey

(ABRIDGED) We describe the first results of the ALHAMBRA survey which provides cosmic tomography of the evolution of the contents of the Universe over most of Cosmic history. Our approach employs 20 contiguous, equal-width, medium-band filters covering from 3500 to 9700 A, plus the JHKs bands, to observe an area of 4 sqdeg on the sky. The optical photometric system has been designed to maximize the number of objects with accurate classification by SED and redshift, and to be sensitive to relatively faint emission lines. The observations are being carried out with the Calar Alto 3.5m telescope using the cameras LAICA and O-2000. The first data confirm that we are reaching the expected magnitude limits of AB<~25 mag in the optical filters from the blue to 8300 A, and from AB=24.7 to 23.4 for the redder ones. The limit in the NIR is (Vega) K_s~20, H~21, J~22. We expect to obtain accurate redshift values, Delta z/(1+z) <~ 0.03 for about 5x10^5 galaxies with I<~25 (60% complete), and z_med=0.74. This accuracy, together with the homogeneity of the selection function, will allow for the study of the redshift evolution of the large scale structure, the galaxy population and its evolution with redshift, the identification of clusters of galaxies, and many other studies, without the need for any further follow-up. It will also provide targets for detailed studies with 10m-class telescopes. Given its area, spectral coverage and its depth, apart from those main goals, the ALHAMBRA-Survey will also produce valuable data for galactic studies.Comment: Accepted to the Astronomical Journal. 43 pages, 18 figures. The images have been reduced in resolution to adapt to standard file sizes. Readers can find the full-resolution version of the paper at the ALHAMBRA web site (http://www.iaa.es/alhambra) under the "Publications" lin

Sulfated Polysaccharide Extracted from the Green Algae Codium bernabei: Physicochemical Characterization and Antioxidant, Anticoagulant and Antitumor Activity

Codium bernabei is a green alga that grows on Chilean coasts. The composition of its structural polysaccharides is still unknown. Hence, the aim of this work is to isolate and characterize the hot water extracted polysaccharide fractions. For this purpose, the water extracts were further precipitated in alcohol (TPs) and acid media (APs), respectively. Both fractions were characterized using different physicochemical techniques such as GC-MS, GPC, FTIR, TGA, and SEM. It is confirmed that the extracted fractions are mainly made of sulfated galactan unit, with a degree of sulfation of 19.3% (TPs) and 17.4% (ATs) and a protein content of 3.5% in APs and 15.6% in TPs. Other neutral sugars such as xylose, glucose, galactose, fucose, mannose, and arabinose were found in a molar ratio (0.05:0.6:1.0:0.02:0.14:0.11) for TPs and (0.05:0.31:1.0:0.03:0.1:0.13) for ATs. The molecular weight of the polysaccharide samples was lower than 20 kDa. Both polysaccharides were thermally stable (Tonset > 190 °C) and showed antioxidant activity according to the ABTS•+ and DPPH tests, where TPs fractions had higher scavenging activity (35%) compared to the APs fractions. The PT and APTTS assays were used to measure the anticoagulant activity of the polysaccharide fractions. In general, the PT activity of the TPs and APs was not different from normal plasma values. The exception was the TPs treatment at 1000 µg mL−1 concentration. The APTTS test revealed that clotting time for both polysaccharides was prolonged regarding normal values at 1000 µg mL−1. Finally, the antitumor test in colorectal carcinoma (HTC-116) cell line, breast cancer (MCF-7) and human leukemia (HL-60) cell lines showed the cytotoxic effect of TPs and APs. Those results suggest the potential biotechnological application of sulfate galactan polysaccharides isolated from a Chilean marine resource

How urban characteristics affect vulnerability to heat and cold: a multi-country analysis.

BACKGROUND: The health burden associated with temperature is expected to increase due to a warming climate. Populations living in cities are likely to be particularly at risk, but the role of urban characteristics in modifying the direct effects of temperature on health is still unclear. In this contribution, we used a multi-country dataset to study effect modification of temperature-mortality relationships by a range of city-specific indicators. METHODS: We collected ambient temperature and mortality daily time-series data for 340 cities in 22 countries, in periods between 1985 and 2014. Standardized measures of demographic, socio-economic, infrastructural and environmental indicators were derived from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Regional and Metropolitan Database. We used distributed lag non-linear and multivariate meta-regression models to estimate fractions of mortality attributable to heat and cold (AF%) in each city, and to evaluate the effect modification of each indicator across cities. RESULTS: Heat- and cold-related deaths amounted to 0.54% (95% confidence interval: 0.49 to 0.58%) and 6.05% (5.59 to 6.36%) of total deaths, respectively. Several city indicators modify the effect of heat, with a higher mortality impact associated with increases in population density, fine particles (PM2.5), gross domestic product (GDP) and Gini index (a measure of income inequality), whereas higher levels of green spaces were linked with a decreased effect of heat. CONCLUSIONS: This represents the largest study to date assessing the effect modification of temperature-mortality relationships. Evidence from this study can inform public-health interventions and urban planning under various climate-change and urban-development scenarios