Las aguas termales de Fitero (Navarra) y Arnedillo (Rioja). l. Análisis geoquímico de los estados de equilibrio-desequilibrio en las surgencias

The analysis of the different chemical features between the thermal springs of Fitero (Navarra) and Amedillo (Rioja), and between those thermal waters and other non-thermal ones in this area, has completed the geochemical characterization of both thermal manifestations. This characterization appear to confirm the existence of mixture phenomena in Fitero (in low proportions) and the narrow compositional range between the thermal springs considered in Amedillo. Taken into account the different geochemical variations of the studied waters, we have related their compositional characters with circulation through different litologies. So, thermal waters are associated to evaporitic materials (Keuper facies) with more saline characters for the Arnedillo thermal waters. On the other hand, the speciation-solubility analysis with WATEQ4F (Ba1l et al., 1987) of the spring chemical compositions and the study of associated deposits have allowed to stablish the physicochemical state at spring condition, a previous stage to determinate the thermodynamic water-rock interactions in the reservoir, at depth.El estudio de los caracteres geoquímicos diferenciales de las aguas termales de Fitero (Navarra) y Amedillo (Rioja), tanto entre ambos grupos como con respecto a otras surgencias no termales de la zona, ha permitido constatar la existencia de fenómenos de mezcla de aguas en Fitero, y las escasas variaciones composicionales entre las distintas surgencias termales de Amedillo. Los caracteres composicionales distintivos han sido relacionados con la circulación de las aguas a través de distintas litologías, 10 que ha permitido deducir que mientras que las aguas no termales se encuentran relacionadas con materiales calcáreos, las termales 10 están con materiales calcáreo-evaporiticos (facies Keuper), de carácter sulfatado en el caso de Fitero y clorurado, más salino, en Arnedillo. Por último, el análisis del quimismo de las aguas termales mediante un modelo de especiación-solubilidad, el WATEQ4F (Ball et al., 1987), en las condiciones de surgencia, así como el estudio de los depósitos asociados a las mismas, ha permitido estimar el estado fisicoquímico de los manantiales termales de Fitero y Amedi110, como paso previo al estudio de la interacción roca-fluido en el reservorio

Traditional small waterbodies as key landscape elements for farmland bird conservation in Mediterranean semiarid agroecosystems

© 2022. Elsevier Ltd. This document is made available under the CC-BY 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by /4.0/ This document is the accepted version of a published work that appeared in final form in Global Ecology and Conservatio

Changes in blood pesticide levels in booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus) associated with agricultural land practices

©2008 Elsevier Inc. This manuscript version is made available under the CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ This document is the Published version of a Published Work that appeared in final form in "Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety". To access the final edited and published work see https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2008.02.012We estimated the degree of exposure to lindane and endosulfan in the blood of booted eagle nestlings (Hieraaetus pennatus) (1999–2003), in order to assess the usefulness of these samples as a unit for monitoring changes in exposure as a result of shifts in agricultural practices and the implementation of legal measures. The highest blood lindane concentrations were obtained 1 year prior to its prohibition by the European Union. Subsequent to that year, the drop in blood concentrations was dramatic. Furthermore, endosulfan blood concentrations follow a progression coinciding with an increase in olive, grape and plum-tree crops. We conclude that concentrations of organochlorine pesticides in the blood of booted eagle nestlings may be used to monitor the use of those pesticides over a particular agricultural region and alert the authorities of possible environmental or health risks

Relationship between casting modulus and grain size in cast A356 aluminium alloys

Microstructure of Al-Si alloy castings depends most generally on melt preparation and on the cooling rate imposed by the thermal modulus of the component. In the case of Al-Si alloys, emphasis is put during melt preparation on refinement of pro-eutectic (Al) grains and on modification of the Al-Si eutectic. Thermal analysis has been used since long to check melt preparation before casting, i.e. by analysis of the cooling curve during solidification of a sample cast in an instrumented cup. The conclusions drawn from such analysis are however valid for the particular cooling conditions of the cups. It thus appeared of interest to investigate how these conclusions could extrapolate to predict microstructure in complicated cast parts showing local changes in the solidification conditions. For that purpose, thermal analysis cups and instrumented sand and die castings with different thermal moduli and thus cooling rates have been made, and the whole set of cooling curves thus recorded has been analysed. A statistical analysis of the characteristic features of the cooling curves related to grain refinement in sand and die castings allowed determining the most significant parameters and expressing the cube of grain size as a polynomial of these parameters. After introduction of a further parameter quantifying melt refining an excellent correlation, with a R2 factor of 0.99 was obtained

4D monitoring of active sinkholes with a Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS): A Case study in the evaporite karst of the Ebro Valley, NE Spain

This work explores, for the first time, the application of a Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS) and a comparison of point clouds in the 4D monitoring of active sinkholes. The approach is tested in three highly-active sinkholes related to the dissolution of salt-bearing evaporites overlain by unconsolidated alluvium. The sinkholes are located in urbanized areas and have caused severe damage to critical infrastructure (flood-control dike, a major highway). The 3D displacement models derived from the comparison of point clouds with exceptionally high spatial resolution allow complex spatial and temporal subsidence patterns within one of the sinkholes to be resolved. Detected changes in the subsidence activity (e.g., sinkhole expansion, translation of the maximum subsidence zone, development of incipient secondary collapses) are related to potential controlling factors such as floods, water table changes or remedial measures. In contrast, with detailed mapping and high-precision leveling, the displacement models, covering a relatively short time span of around 6 months, do not capture the subtle subsidence (< 0.6-1 cm) that affects the marginal zones of the sinkholes, precluding precise mapping of the edges of the subsidence areas. However, the performance of TLS can be adversely affected by some methodological limitations and local conditions: (1) limited accuracy in large investigation areas that require the acquisition of a high number of scans, increasing the registration error; (2) surface changes unrelated to sinkhole activity (e.g., vegetation, loose material); (3) traffic-related vibrations and wind blast that affect the stability of the scanner

Trends in anthropogenic CO2 in water masses of the Subtropical North Atlantic Ocean

12 páginas, 4 figuras,1 tabla.-- Proyecto CarbochangeThe variability in the storage of the oceanic anthropogenic CO2 (Cant) on decadal timescales is evaluated within the main water masses of the Subtropical North Atlantic along 24.5°N. Inorganic carbon measurements on five cruises of the A05 section are used to assess the changes in Cant between 1992 and 2011, using four methods (ΔC∗, TrOCA, φCT0, TTD). We find good agreement between the Cant distribution and storage obtained using chlorofluorocarbons and CO2 measurements in both the vertical and horizontal scales. Cant distribution shows higher concentrations and greater decadal storage rates in the upper layers with both values decreasing with depth. The greatest enrichment is obserbed in the central water masses, with their upper limb showing a mean annual accumulation of about 1 μmol kg−1 yr−1 and the lower limb showing, on average, half that value. We detect zonal gradients in the accumulation of Cant. This finding is less clear in the upper waters, where greater variability exists between methods. In accordance with data from time series stations, greater accumulation of Cant is observed in the upper waters of the western basin of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre. In intermediate and deep layers, the zonal gradient in the storage of Cant is more robust between methods. The much lower mean storage rates found along the section (<0.25 μmol kg−1 yr−1) become more obvious when longitudinal differences in the Cant accumulation are considered. In particular, west of 70°W the ventilation by the Labrador Sea Water creates a noticeable accumulation rate up to ∼0.5 μmol kg−1 yr−1 between 1000 and 2500 dbar. If a Transient Stationary State of the Cant distributions is considered, significant bi-decadal trends in the Cant storage rates in the deepest North Atlantic waters are detected, in agreement with recent estimations.We acknowledge funding from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness through Grants CSD2008-00077 (Circumnavigation Expedition MALASPINA 2010 Project), CTM2009-08849 (ACDC Project) and CTM2012-32017 (MANIFEST Project). We also acknowledge funding from the EU FP7 project CARBOCHANGE under Grant Agreement No. 264879 and by the Marine Biogeochemistry and Global Change research group (Generalitat de Catalunya, 2014SGR1029). E.F. Guallart was funded through a JAE-Pre grant that was financed by the Spanish National Research Council Agency (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC) and by the European Social Fund.Peer reviewe

Femtosecond laser microstructuring of zirconia dental implants

This study evaluated the suitability of femtosecond laser for microtexturizing cylindrical zirconia dental implants surface. Sixty-six cylindrical zirconia implants were used and divided into three groups: Control group (with no laser modification), Group A (microgropored texture), and Group B (microgrooved texture). Scanning electron microscopy observation of microgeometries revealed minimal collateral damage of the original surface surrounding the treated areas. Optical interferometric profilometry showed that ultrafast laser ablation increased surface roughness (Ra, Rq, Rz, and Rt) significantly for both textured patterns from 1.2× to 6×-fold when compared with the control group (p Group B 8.4% ± 0.42% > Group A 1.6% ± 0.35%) and aluminum (Control 4.3% ± 0.9% > Group B 2.3% ± 0.3% > Group A 1.16% ± 0.2%) in the laser-treated surfaces (p Group A 1.94% > Group B 1.72%) as the surfaces were processed with ultrashort laser pulses. We concluded that femtosecond laser microstructuring offers an interesting alternative to conventional surface treatments of zirconia implants as a result of its precision and minimal damage of the surrounding areas

Intra-articular administration of hydrogen sulphide ameliorates severity of experimental osteoarthritis

Conference abstrac

Patients' perceptions on shared decision making during prescription of subcutaneous biological drug treatments for inflammatory arthritis: the RHEU-LIFE survey

Short report[Abstract] Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the preferences of patients with rheumatic diseases and their perceived experience regarding participation in shared decision making (SDM) when they were prescribed a subcutaneous (SC) biological drug. Methods: A printed survey was handed to 1,000 patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases treated with SC biological drug. The survey included closed questions about preferences regarding decision making and about patients' experience when they were prescribed an SC biological drug. Descriptive statistics were performed with stratification by patient profiles, using chi-square for comparisons between groups. Results: A total of 592 surveys were received (response rate 59.2%, mean age 51.7 years, 57.6% women). Some 28.2% of patients reported preferring to take part in treatment selection, a percentage that was higher in younger patients, in those with higher academic degree and in those who search information in sources different to that of health care professionals. Over half of patients (56.3%) perceived that the rheumatologist considered their opinion when prescribing an SC biological drug, a percentage higher in younger people. Only in 40.8% of cases did the patients' preference match their perception of their participation in the process. No differences were observed by sex, disease or number of biologics. Conclusions: Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases want information about their treatments but mostly leave the prescription decision to the rheumatologist. Younger people, or those with higher academic degree, more often want to participate in the SDM. There are discrepancies between patient preferences and perceptions of this process

The impact of COVID-19 lockdown on soccer positional and physical demands in the Spanish La Liga

The present study aimed to analyse the playing surface area, dispersion and distance covered of professional football teams comparing the pre-lockdown and post-lockdown periods. Positional and match physical demands data were collected from all matches played in the First Spanish Division (n = 760) during season 2019/2020. Pre-lockdown (1st–27th matchday) and post-lockdown periods (28th–38th matchday) were compared. Variables related to team-level spatial (i.e., convex hull, team width and team length) and physical performance (i.e., total distance and high-speed running distance) were analysed using an optical tracking system (i.e., ChyronHego). In addition, these variables were concerned with respect to the match location contextual variable. Linear mixed models were used to examine the difference between the pre-lockdown and post-lockdown periods following a hierarchical structure considering players, matches and teams. The results revealed that the pandemic lockdown affected the teams’ performance when comparing the periods before and after lockdown, showing a general decrease in the average values of the spatial and physical variables measured. The current data could assist practitioners in making informed decisions in order to design and improve training plans for similar situations in which teams return to competition after an unusual period with no training