The geological context of Lunar meteorites

Meteorites are ejected from random areas of the lunar surface and therefore provide geological information about the Moon far from areas sampled during the Apollo and Luna programs. However, unlike those samples, the exact launch locations and geological setting of lunar meteorites are unknown, limiting greatly the knowledge we can obtain from them. During this project the launch location of lunar meteorites were studied using both laboratory analytical techniques and remote sensing instruments. This approach enabled me to provide meteorites with a geological context, increasing the geological knowledge it is possible to obtain from them. The lunar feldspathic meteorites Miller Range (MIL) 90036 and MIL 090070 bulk-rock compositions and mineral chemistries were studied. MIL 090036 is a feldspathic immature regolith breccia (26.72 wt.% Al2O3, 5.27 wt.% FeO) that exhibits a Th-enrichment (1.89 ppm Th). This could be related to a high alkali component that has been observed in impact melt breccia clasts in this meteorite, but also it could be related to a KREEP component that, although it was not observed in the particular sample studied, it can be present in the bulk meteorite. Most of the provenance results show that the regolith from the surroundings of the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT) in the nearside are the most similar to the composition of this meteorite and therefore the likely source location for MIL 090036. MIL 090070 is a feldspathic immature regolith breccia with bulk-rock compositions of 30.72 wt.% Al2O3, 3.77 wt.% FeO and a low Th abundance (0.44 ppm). The geochemistry of MIL 090070 may be formed by a mixture of ferroan and magnesian anorthositic rocks, although other possible explanation could be that they were all essentially ferroan-derived and that this rock types are more related to high-magnesium suite that previously thought. MIL 090070 was probably launched from the farside of the Moon as suggested by its compositional differences when compared to Apollo 16 regolith breccias, including the lack of KREEP. The present work has studied the possible launch locations of 37 lunar meteorites (67 individual stones) using bulk-rock FeO, TiO2 and Th compositions and the 2-degree LP-GRS dataset from Prettyman et al. 2006. My method compares the composition of both the analytical and the remote sensing measurements. The outcome is a shapefile that allows for a correct visualization in ArcGIS™. Results obtained suggest that differences in KREEP components between the PKT and other areas of the Moon are not the only indicator of a heterogeneous mantle. This study also indicates that ferroan anorthosites are widely distributed with patches occurring within the central farside highlands. The large number of feldspathic meteorites that contain both magnesian and ferroan anorthosites compared to those that contain only one or the other, could indicate that these rock types are genetically related and that the wide Mg# distribution in FAN and MAN could be produced by serial magmatism. If this is correct, some of the ferroan anorthositic lithologies observed within lunar samples would not be the direct product of the magma ocean crystallization

The geological context of Lunar meteorites

Meteorites are ejected from random areas of the lunar surface and therefore provide geological information about the Moon far from areas sampled during the Apollo and Luna programs. However, unlike those samples, the exact launch locations and geological setting of lunar meteorites are unknown, limiting greatly the knowledge we can obtain from them. During this project the launch location of lunar meteorites were studied using both laboratory analytical techniques and remote sensing instruments. This approach enabled me to provide meteorites with a geological context, increasing the geological knowledge it is possible to obtain from them. The lunar feldspathic meteorites Miller Range (MIL) 90036 and MIL 090070 bulk-rock compositions and mineral chemistries were studied. MIL 090036 is a feldspathic immature regolith breccia (26.72 wt.% Al2O3, 5.27 wt.% FeO) that exhibits a Th-enrichment (1.89 ppm Th). This could be related to a high alkali component that has been observed in impact melt breccia clasts in this meteorite, but also it could be related to a KREEP component that, although it was not observed in the particular sample studied, it can be present in the bulk meteorite. Most of the provenance results show that the regolith from the surroundings of the Procellarum KREEP Terrane (PKT) in the nearside are the most similar to the composition of this meteorite and therefore the likely source location for MIL 090036. MIL 090070 is a feldspathic immature regolith breccia with bulk-rock compositions of 30.72 wt.% Al2O3, 3.77 wt.% FeO and a low Th abundance (0.44 ppm). The geochemistry of MIL 090070 may be formed by a mixture of ferroan and magnesian anorthositic rocks, although other possible explanation could be that they were all essentially ferroan-derived and that this rock types are more related to high-magnesium suite that previously thought. MIL 090070 was probably launched from the farside of the Moon as suggested by its compositional differences when compared to Apollo 16 regolith breccias, including the lack of KREEP. The present work has studied the possible launch locations of 37 lunar meteorites (67 individual stones) using bulk-rock FeO, TiO2 and Th compositions and the 2-degree LP-GRS dataset from Prettyman et al. 2006. My method compares the composition of both the analytical and the remote sensing measurements. The outcome is a shapefile that allows for a correct visualization in ArcGIS™. Results obtained suggest that differences in KREEP components between the PKT and other areas of the Moon are not the only indicator of a heterogeneous mantle. This study also indicates that ferroan anorthosites are widely distributed with patches occurring within the central farside highlands. The large number of feldspathic meteorites that contain both magnesian and ferroan anorthosites compared to those that contain only one or the other, could indicate that these rock types are genetically related and that the wide Mg# distribution in FAN and MAN could be produced by serial magmatism. If this is correct, some of the ferroan anorthositic lithologies observed within lunar samples would not be the direct product of the magma ocean crystallization

Energy renovation of buildings : the skin of a building 70's housing developments in Barcelona Montbau's housing developments renovation

This study, considering the current conditions of our planet, proposes to analyze how efficient is to renovate building skins to meet energy, economic, and CO2 emission criteria. A building envelope is the part of a building that is most exposed to weather conditions and therefore it has an impact on the internal energy demand of its inhabitants so that they can comfortably there. Studying building skins and their status in terms of energy, economic costs, and CO2 emissions will allow renovation to produce benefits in the medium and long-term. This study was conducted in the neighborhood of Montbau, a housing development of around 30 buildings, each with different characteristics, built in the 70’s and currently having energy losses through their skins, which results in a high demand of internal energy for heating and cooling purposes, in addition to doubled emission of CO2e released into the atmosphere. Improvements are proposed to adapt the conditions of these buildings. Two solutions are proposed in addition to evaluating energy costs caused by CO2e emissions and any other economic costs year 2012. Other studies analyze the behavior of buildings already implementing such solutions and their corresponding energy, emission, and economic reductions. The importance of such studies lays on the need to analyze options such as renovation instead of considering demolition as an alternative, and to suggest the future building of housing developments in pro of the sustainability of our planet and offer an alternative for a sustainable future, housing and shelter under optimal conditions. The figures herein offer solid results in terms of expenses, costs and energy savings, as well as the reduction of CO2 emissions released into the atmosphere. The graphs and tables here contained offer a clear reading and suggest topics for further research and even for starting up building projects, both locally and worldwide.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Isolation and Quantification of Mandelonitrile from Arabidopsis thaliana Using Gas Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry

ProtocoloMandelonitrile is a nitrogen-containing compound, considered an essential secondary metabolite. Chemically, it is a cyanohydrin derivative of benzaldehyde, with relevant functions in different physiological processes including defense against phytophagous arthropods. So far, procedures for detecting mandelonitrile have been effectively applied in cyanogenic plant species such as Prunus spp. Nevertheless, its presence in Arabidopsis thaliana, considered a non-cyanogenic species, has never been determined. Here, we report the development of an accurate protocol for mandelonitrile quantification in A. thaliana within the context of A. thaliana–spider mite interaction. First, mandelonitrile was isolated from Arabidopsis rosettes using methanol; then, it was derivatized by silylation to enhance detection and, finally, it was quantified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The selectivity and sensitivity of this method make it possible to detect low levels of mandelonitrile (LOD 3 ppm) in a plant species considered non-cyanogenic that, therefore, will have little to no cyanogenic compounds, using a small quantity of starting material (≥ 100 mg).This work was supported by funds of “La Caixa” Foundation (LCF/PR18/51130007) and Ministerio de Universidades-European Union in the frame of NextGenerationEU RD 289/2021 (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid)

El tratamiento de agua residual doméstica para el desarrollo local sostenible: el caso de la técnica del sistema unitario de tratamiento de aguas, nutrientes y energía (SUTRANE) en San Miguel Almaya, México

El tratamiento de aguas residuales domésticas en asentamientos humanos dispersos es un problema que compete al desarrollo local sostenible, para el saneamiento de estas aguas han surgido una serie de tecnologías, una de ellas son las denominadas alternativas, cuyas características son adecuadas para esos casos. Bajo dicho contexto, se formulo una propuesta con la técnica SUTRANE para las aguas residuales de las viviendas aledañas a la Laguna de San Miguel Almaya, México.El tratamiento de aguas residuales domésticas en asentamientos humanos dispersos es un problema que compete al desarrollo local sostenible, para el saneamiento de estas aguas han surgido una serie de tecnologías, una de ellas son las denominadas alternativas, cuyas características son adecuadas para esos casos. Bajo dicho contexto, se formulo una propuesta con la técnica SUTRANE para las aguas residuales de las viviendas aledañas a la Laguna de San Miguel Almaya, México

Histopathological characteristics of cutaneous lesions caused by Leishmania Viannia panamensis in Panama

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is an endemic disease in the Republic of Panama, caused by Leishmania (Viannia) parasites, whose most common clinical manifestation is the presence of ulcerated lesions on the skin. These lesions usually present a chronic inflammatory reaction, sometimes granulomatous, with the presence of lymphocytes, plasma cells and macrophages. This study describes the histopathological characteristics found in the skin lesions of patients with CL caused by Leishmania (V.) panamensis in Panama. We analyzed 49 skin biopsy samples from patients with clinical suspicion of CL, by molecular tests (PCR for subgenus Viannia and HSP-70) and by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining. Samples were characterized at the species level by PCR-HSP-70/RFLP. From the 49 samples studied, 46 (94%) were positive by PCR and were characterized as Leishmania (V.) panamensis. Of these, 48% were positive by Hematoxylin-Eosin staining with alterations being observed both, in the epidermis (85%) and in the dermis (100%) of skin biopsies. The inflammatory infiltrate was characterized according to histopathological patterns: lymphohistiocytic (50%), lymphoplasmacytic (61%) and granulomatous (46%) infiltration, being the combination of these patterns frequently found. The predominant histopathological characteristics observed in CL lesions caused by L. (V.) panamensis in Panama were: an intense inflammatory reaction in the dermis with a combination of lymphohistiocytic, lymphoplasmacytic and granulomatous presentation patterns and the presence of ulcers, acanthosis, exocytosis and spongiosis in the epidermis

Seguimiento ambulatorio de pacientes alcohólicos

Introduction: the management of alcoholic patients constitutes a challenge concerning their necessary willingness to be helped, which is an indispensable attitude to achieve the objectives. Objective: to determine the characteristics of the alcohol use disorder in patients attending to the provincial office for addiction of the Community Mental Health Center belonging to Pedro Borrás Astorga health area in Pinar del Río.Material and Method: a descriptive study was conducted with a sample of 250 alcoholic patients who were treated in the provincial office for addictions of the Community Mental Health Center belonging to Pedro Borrás Astorga university polyclinic in Pinar del Río during the last 5 years (2009-2013). An individual characterization of the patient according to clinical history, along with an interview for the patient and family was carried out. Results: male sex prevailed (52.8%), out of them 18% were single and 29.2% divorced, during alcohol intake, the greatest group with 38.4% was included between 5 to 10 years. The syndrome of alcohol abuse or dependence appeared in 56.7% of the patients, whereas 66.4% suffered from a harmful intake with relapses. The treatment included Metronidazole (38.5%) ambulatory way, Disulfiram (46.4%) and Acamprosate in hospital due to the lack of availability. Conclusions: male sex prevailed, ages between 31-50 years old, length of treatment and abstinence in the group from 7 months to 5 years stood up. Individual psychotherapy associated with Disulfiram, Metronidazole and Acamprosate was the most notable therapeutic; showing that to address patients' alcohol problems and to get rid of alcohol intake a combined therapy is required.Introducción: la atención del paciente alcohólico, constituye un reto en lo referente a garantizar la imprescindible disposición de ayuda, actitud sin la cual resultaría improbable el logro de los objetivos.Objetivo: determinar las características de la enfermedad alcohólica en pacientes atendidos en la consulta provincial de adicciones del Centro Comunitario de Salud Mental del área de salud "Pedro Borrás" de Pinar del Río. Material y Resultados: en el estudio se encontró un predominio del sexo masculino, con el 52.8%, 18% solteros y 29,2% divorciados, en el tiempo de ingestión del toxico, el mayor grupo con el 38.4%; se incluyen entre 5 a 10 años. Aparece el síndrome de dependencia alcohólica en el 56.7%, en tanto el 66.4% tienen un consumo perjudicial con recaídas. La terapéutica empleada fue metronidazol (38.5%) de forma ambulatoria, disulfiram (46.4%) y acamprosate bajo uso por poca disponibilidad. Conclusiones: predomina el sexo masculino, las edades entre 31-50 años, destacándose el tiempo de tratamiento y abstinencia el grupo entre 7 meses y 5 años. Como terapéutica sobresalen la psicoterapia individual, asociada al disulfiram, metronidazol y acamprosate; se demostró que la deshabituación alcohólica se logra con la terapia combinada. DeCS: Alcoholismo, Terapéutica