Behavior of Phenols and Phenoxyacids on a Bisphenol-A Imprinted Polymer. Application for Selective Solid-Phase Extraction from Water and Urine Samples

A molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP), obtained by precipitation polymerisation with 4-vinylpyridine as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate as cross-linker, and bisphenol-A (BPA) as template, was prepared. The binding site configuration of the BPA-MIP was examined using Scatchard analysis. Moreover, the behaviour of the BPA-MIP for the extraction of several phenolic compounds (bisphenol-A, bisphenol-F, 4-nitrophenol, 3-methyl-4-nitrophenol) and phenoxyacid herbicides such as 2,4-D, 2,4,5-T and 2,4,5-TP has been studied in organic and aqueous media in the presence of other pesticides in common use. It was possible to carry out the selective preconcentration of the target analytes from the organic medium with recoveries of higher than 70%. In an aqueous medium, hydrophobic interactions were found to exert a remarkably non-specific contribution to the overall binding process. Several parameters affecting the extraction efficiency of the BPA-MIP were evaluated to achieve the selective preconcentration of phenols and phenoxyacids from aqueous samples. The possibility of using the BPA-MIP as a selective sorbent to preconcentrate these compounds from other samples such as urine and river water was also explored

Effects of grass clearing and soil tilling on establishment of planted tree seedlings in tropical riparian pastures

Anthropogenic disturbances frequently exceed resilience of riparian forests. In small-scale restoration projects revegetation is a common technique, but its success depends on the plant species used and some environmental filters. We investigated whether grass competition and soil compaction together with seasonal drought and flooding limit the establishment of seven tree species experimentally planted in abandoned riparian pastures in Southern Mexico. We tested the effects of grass clearing and soil tilling and analyzed seasonal variation of vertical distance to water level, and changes in tree performance, microclimate, and vegetation biomass after planting. Seedling survival was low (19 ± 3 %), ranging between 3 (Brosimum alicastrum, Moraceae) and 38 % (Pachira aquatica, Bombacaceae). Survival was negatively correlated to vertical distance to water level, highlighting the importance of the short but severe dry season that may occur in the humid tropics, which reduced survival by >60 %. Flooding events also produced high seedling mortality (80 % after the two first events). Clearing but not tilling enhanced seedling survival. Clearing also significantly increased seedling growth of some species, suggesting competition release. Tilling did not have any consistent effect on growth, but it appears to counteract the positive effects of clearing. Both pre-existing and planted trees ameliorated microclimate to produce better conditions for establishment of new trees following natural regeneration. We conclude that clearing can enhance seedling establishment in riparian abandoned tropical pastures, but other revegetation treatments intended to reduce soil drying and uprooting by flooding during early establishment should be evaluated to improve the cost-benefit of restoring riparian forest.Ministerio de Ciencia y EducaciónComunidad de MadridUniversidad Nacional Autónoma de Méxic

Inteligencia emocional y vínculo laboral en trabajadores del Centro San Camilo = Emotional intelligence and engagement in San Camilo Centre workers

pp. 63-68Las organizaciones están comprometidas desde hace tiempo con la promoción de la salud y del bienestar de los trabajadores. Con este referente se realizó el presente estudio; el objetivo fue describir y analizar las asociaciones que existen entre las variables inteligencia emocional y engagement. La población fueron 150 trabajadores del Centro San Camilo. Los instrumentos de evaluación utilizados son la escala de Inteligencia Emocional (EIE-33), la escala de Inteligencia Emocional (EIE-25), el Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS-24) y cuestionario de Utrecht Work Engagement Scale (UWES). Es un estudio descriptivo correlacional. En los trabajadores del Centro San Camilo existe asociación entre la inteligencia emocional y el engagement. Así la inteligencia emocional, entendida como la capacidad para adquirir habilidades o competencias para la adaptación de las demandas profesionales, potencia un estado mental positivo relacionado con el trabajo y ello repercute en la calidad asistencial y en la salud de la población atendida.S

Identification and quantification of carbamate pesticides in dried lime tree flowers by means of excitation-emission molecular fluorescence and parallel factor analysis when quenching effect exists

A non-separative, fast and inexpensive spectrofluorimetric method based on the second order calibration of excitation-emission fluorescence matrices (EEMs) was proposed for the determination of carbaryl, carbendazim and 1-naphthol in dried lime tree flowers. The trilinearity property of three-way data was used to handle the intrinsic fluorescence of lime flowers and the difference in the fluorescence intensity of each analyte. It also made possible to identify unequivocally each analyte. Trilinearity of the data tensor guarantees the uniqueness of the solution obtained through parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC), so the factors of the decomposition match up with the analytes. In addition, an experimental procedure was proposed to identify, with three-way data, the quenching effect produced by the fluorophores of the lime flowers. This procedure also enabled the selection of the adequate dilution of the lime flowers extract to minimize the quenching effect so the three analytes can be quantified. Finally, the analytes were determined using the standard addition method for a calibration whose standards were chosen with a D-optimal design. The three analytes were unequivocally identified by the correlation between the pure spectra and the PARAFAC excitation and emission spectral loadings. The trueness was established by the accuracy line “calculated concentration versus added concentration” in all cases. Better decision limit values (CCα), in x0 = 0 with the probability of false positive fixed at 0.05, were obtained for the calibration performed in pure solvent: 2.97 μg L−1 for 1-naphthol, 3.74 μg L−1 for carbaryl and 23.25 μg L−1 for carbendazim. The CCα values for the second calibration carried out in matrix were 1.61, 4.34 and 51.75 μg L−1 respectively; while the values obtained considering only the pure samples as calibration set were: 2.65, 8.61 and 28.7 μg L−1, respectively.theMinisteriodeEconomíayCompetitividad(CTQ2011-26022) and JuntadeCastillayLeón(BU108A11-2

Impacts of land management and climate change in a developing and socioenvironmental challenging transboundary region

Land-use/cover change is the major cause of terrestrial ecosystem degradation. However, its impacts will be exacerbated due to climate change and population growth, driving agricultural expansion because of higher demand of food and lower agricultural yields in some tropical areas. International strategies aimed to mitigate impacts of climate change and land use-cover change are challenging in developing regions. This study aims to evaluate alternatives to minimize the impacts of these threats under socioeconomic trajectories, in one of the biologically richest regions in Guatemala and Mexico. This study is located at the Usumacinta watershed, a transboundary region that shares a common history, with similar biophysical properties and economic constraints which have led to large land use/cover changes. To understand the impacts on deforestation and carbon emissions of different land-management practices, we developed three scenarios (1): business as usual (BAU), (2) a reducing emissions scenario aimed to reduce deforestation and degradation (REDD+), and (3) zero-deforestation from 2030 onwards based on the international commitments. Our results suggest that by 2050, natural land cover might reduce 22.3 and 12.2% of its extent under the BAU and REDD + scenarios, respectively in comparison with 2012. However, the zero-deforestation scenario shows that by 2050, it would be possible to avoid losing 22.4% of the forested watershed (1.7 million ha) and recover 5.9% (0.4 million hectares) of it. In terms of carbon sequestration, REDD + projects can reduce the carbon losses in natural vegetation, but a zero-deforestation policy can double the carbon sequestration produced by REDD + projects only. This study shows that to reduce the pressures on ecosystems, particularly in regions highly marginalized with significant migration, it is necessary to implement transboundary land-management policies that also integrate poverty alleviation strategies

Zona de transición de una línea ferroviaria situada entre una vía en balasto y una vía en placa de hormigón

Zona de transición de una línea ferroviaria situada entre una vía en balasto y una vía en placa de hormigón, que comprende: - un conjunto de traviesas de hormigón de longitud superior a las traviesas de las vías en placa de hormigón y en balasto, agrupadas en secciones de traviesas de la misma longitud, con longitud creciente desde la vía en balasto a la vía en placa de hormigón, - una lámina de amortiguación de la vibración situada en sentido transversal a la vía en placa de hormigón que se extiende al menos entre la capa de balasto de la zona de transición y la capa de hormigón de la vía en placa de hormigón, - almohadillas de apoyo bajo carril con una rigidez igual o creciente desde la vía en placa de hormigón hacia la vía en balasto, - sendos carriles adicionales internos y - sendos carriles adicionales externos.Solicitud: 201730552 (31.03.2017)Nº Pub. de Solicitud: ES2684429A1 (02.10.2018

El Consejo de Cruzada durante el reinado de Felipe III: los comisarios Juan de Zúñiga, Felipe de Tassis, Martín de Córdoba y Diego de Guzmán y Benavides

The Council of Crusade of the Spanish Monarchy has been scarcely studied, due, among other things, to its own structure and the difficulties to find archival sources to study it. Nevertheless, its relevance was out of doubt, though it must manage enormous incomes, that became ordinaries after its primigenious extraordinary condition. Its process of development towards the XVI and XVIIth century was closely linked as to the factional fights as to the relations that the Spanish monarchs maintained with the Pope. Thus, in the moments of triumph of the groups that mantained the hegemony of the castillian against those more universalist or close to the Pope, the Council of Finances had more chances to intervene in the incomes proceeding from the “Tres Gracias”. As long as, when the triumphants were those close to Rome, its independence was closer, as it happened during the majority of the reign of Philip III. The aim of the present article is to contribute to a better understanding of this council during Philip III reign trough a prosopographical study of its principal members, mainly the 4 commissaries of Crusade that it had during those years.<br><br>El Consejo de Cruzada de la Monarquía Hispana apenas ha sido estudiado con anterioridad, debido, entre otras cuestiones, a su propia estructura y a la dificultad en encontrar fuentes para su estudio. Sin embargo, su relevancia está fuera de toda duda, ya que se encargaba de gestionar unos enormes ingresos, que pasaron a convertirse en ordinarios, pese a su aparente y primigenia condición de extraordinarios. El devenir de este Consejo a lo largo de los siglos XVI y XVII, estuvo íntimamente ligado tanto a las luchas faccionales como a las relaciones que los monarcas Austrias mantuvieron con el Papado. Así, en los momentos de triunfo cortesano de aquellos grupos que propugnaban una hegemonía de lo castellano frente a aquellos más universalistas, el Consejo de Hacienda tuvo mayores posibilidades de intervención en el dinero procedente de las Tres Gracias. Mientras, cuando los triunfadores eran aquellos grupos cercanos a Roma, su independencia estuvo más cercana, tal y como sucedería durante la mayoría del reinado de Felipe III. El presente artículo pretende aportar en el conocimiento del mismo durante dicho reinado mediante un estudio prosopográfico de sus principales miembros, en especial de los 4 comisarios de Cruzada que tuvo durante aquellos años

Voltammetric Determination of the Herbicide Linuron Using a Tricresyl Phosphate-Based Carbon Paste Electrode

This paper summarises the results of voltammetric studies on the herbicide 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea (Linuron), using a carbon paste electrode containing tricresyl phosphate (TCP-CPE) as liquid binder. The principal experimental conditions, such as the pH effect, investigated in Britton-Robinson buffer solutions (pH 2.0–7.0), the peak characteristics for the analyte of interest, or instrumental parameters for the differential pulse voltammetric mode were optimized for the method. As found out, the best electroanalytical performance of the TCP-CPE was achieved at pH 2.0, whereby the oxidation peak of Linuron appeared at ca. +1.3 V vs. SCE. The analytical procedure developed offers good linearity in the concentration range of 1.25–44.20 μg mL−1 (1.77 × 10−4–5.05 × 10−6 mol L−1), showing—for the first time—the applicability of the TCP-CPE for anodic oxidations in direct voltammetry (without accumulation). The method was then verified by determining Linuron in a spiked river water sample and a commercial formulation and the results obtained agreed well with those obtained by the reference HPLC/UV determination