Labile carbon in biological soil crusts in the Tabernas desert, SE Spain.

Decomposition processes are extremely important in biological soil crusts (BSCs). Although the effects of temperature and moisture on such processes have been widely studied, little is known about the influence of the readily metabolizable substrate (labile C) and how this substrate varies in different types of BSCs. In the present study, BSCs formed by cyanobacteria (CYANO) and by lichens (DIPLOS and LEPRA) were incubated at 25 °C (optimum temperature) and different moisture levels, for evaluation of the pool of labile C in the crust layers. Labile C was estimated as the sum of CO2-C emitted and the C extracted with hot water (80 °C) at the end of the incubation period. In all crusts, the relationship between emission and moisture fitted a quadratic model. For the different moisture contents, the sum of CO2-C emitted and C extracted with hot water converged to a constant value for each type of crust. This value, considered as the maximum content of labile C in the crust, was extremely high in DIPLOS, reaching up to 40% of the total organic C (TOC) initially present. In all crusts, and independently of the consumption of labile C, simple sugars (sucrose, glucose) remained at the end of the incubation period, which suggests that these sugars may play a protective role in BSCs. The presence of mannitol suggests that the fructose released during hydrolysis of sucrose was reduced to mannitol, thus enabling electron transport during moments of intense respiratory stress. The intense respiration in DIPLOS is partly due to the metabolism of polyphenols, which are possibly derived from the growth and death of free-living fungi that proliferate during incubation of the crusts. These results demonstrate that the metabolic processes in BSCs differ depending on the type of organisms that form the crusts and that there is a high risk of C loss from Diploschistes BSCs after heavy rainfall events.Peer reviewe

Class imbalance impact on the prediction of complications during home hospitalization: a comparative study.

© 2020 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. Permission from IEEE must be obtained for all other uses, in any current or future media, including reprinting /republishing this material for advertising or promotional purposes, creating new collective works, for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or reuse of any copyrighted component of this work in other worksHome hospitalization (HH) is presented as a healthcare alternative capable of providing high standards of care when patients no longer need hospital facilities. Although HH seems to lower healthcare costs by shortening hospital stays and improving patient's quality of life, the lack of continuous observation at home may lead to complications in some patients. Since blood tests have been proven to provide relevant prognosis information in many diseases, this paper analyzes the impact of different sampling methods on the prediction of HH outcomes. After a first exploratory analysis, some variables extracted from routine blood tests performed at the moment of HH admission, such as hemoglobin, lymphocytes or creatinine, were found to unmask statistically significant differences between patients undergoing successful and unsucessful HH stays. Then, predictive models were built with these data, in order to identify unsuccessful cases eventually needing hospital facilities. However, since these hospital admissions during HH programs are rare, their identification through conventional machine-learning approaches is challenging. Thus, several sampling strategies designed to face class imbalance were herein overviewed and compared. Among the analyzed approaches, over-sampling strategies, such as ROSE (Random Over-Sampling Examples) and conventional random over-sampling, showed the best performances. Nevertheless, further improvements should be proposed in the future so as to better identify those patients not benefiting from HHPeer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Julio Martínez Calzón. Revisión de sus obras en el campo de la Arquitectura

[ES] Julio Martínez Calzón es un reconocido ingeniero español, con una dilatada y brillante trayectoria profesional. Ha destacado como investigador y escritor, y sobre todo por haber introducido en España el sistema de construcción de estructuras mixtas. A finales de las década de los 80, fundó el Estudio de Ingeniería MC2, una consultoría de referencia en lo que se refiere al diseño y proyecto de estructuras mixtas y singulares. Trabajó mano a mano durante años en multitud de proyectos, como el Puente Juan Bravo, con su compañero ingeniero José Antonio Fernández Ordóñez, además de elaborar juntos varias patentes. También ha trabajado con diversos arquitectos de renombre como Norman Foster, en la Torre Collserola, con la que ganaron un premio internacional. A modo de mención, además de la Torre Collserola, ha colaborado en otros proyectos importantes como el Palau Sant Jordi y la Torre del Agua. Como inquieto divulgador, ha participado en numerosas conferencias, y desde el inicio de su carrera ha combinado su trayectoria profesionales con el ámbito docente, buscando siempre transmitir sus conocimientos a los futuros ingenieros.[CA] Julio Martínez Calzónés un reconegut enginyer espanyol, amb una dilatada i brillant trajectòria professional. Ha destacat com a investigador i escriptor, i sobretot per haver introduït a Espanya el sistema de construcciód'estructures mixtes.A finals de les dècada dels 80, va fundar l'Estudi d'Enginyeria MC2, una consultoria de referència en el que es referix al disseny i projecte d'estructures mixtes i singulars. Va treballar mà a mà durant anys en multitud de projectes, com el Pont Juan Brau, amb el seu company enginyer José Antonio Fernández Ordóñez, a més d'elaborar junts diverses patents. També ha treballat amb diversos arquitectes de renom com Norman Foster, en la Torre Collserola, amb la que van guanyar un premi internacional. A manera de menció, a més de la Torre Collserola, ha col·laborat en altres projectes importants com el Palau Sant Jordi i la Torre de l'Aigua. Com a inquiet divulgador, ha participat en nombroses conferències, i des de l'inici de la seua carrera ha combinat la seua trajectòria professionals amb l'àmbit docent, buscant sempre transmetre els seus coneixements als futurs enginyers.[EN] Julio Martínez Calzón is a well-known Spanish engineer, with a long and brilliant professional career. He has stood out as a researcher and writer, and above all for having introduced in Spain the system of construction of mixed structures.At the end of the 80's, he founded the MC2 Engineering Studio, a reference consultancy in the design and project of mixed and singular structures. He worked hand in hand for years on many projects, such as the Juan Bravo Bridge, with his fellow engineer José Antonio Fernández Ordóñez, in addition to drafting several patents together. He has also worked with various renowned architects such as Norman Foster, on the Collserola Tower, with which they won an international prize. By way of mention, in addition to the Collserola Tower, he has collaborated on other important projects such as the Palau Sant Jordi and the Water Tower.As a restless disseminator, he has participated in numerous conferences, and since the beginning of his career he has combined his professional career with teaching, always seeking to transmit his knowledge to future engineers.Sanz Miralles, C. (2020). Julio Martínez Calzón. Revisión de sus obras en el campo de la Arquitectura. Universitat Politècnica de València. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/162615TFG

Proving insertion of Mg in Mn2O3 electrodes through a spectroelectrochemical study

The scarcity of lithium in the Earth's crust makes advisable to look for batteries alternative to those of Li-ion. Magnesium batteries are suitable candidates as this metal is abundant. In this context, Mn (III) oxide is a material that could be used for the insertion of magnesium ions. Mn2O3 thin electrodes were synthesized for the first time through a hydrothermal procedure followed by heat treatment. Through cyclic voltammetry (CV) and spectroelectrochemical (UV–vis) techniques together with ex situ XPS analysis, the effective insertion of magnesium in the Mn2O3 lattice is demonstrated, which means that this material could be used as a cathode in Mg batteries. Finally, the need for nanostructuring is highlighted for practical applications.This work has been supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities through projects MAT2015-71727 and RTI2018-102061-B-I00 (FONDOS FEDER). C.M. Is grateful to the Vicepresidency of Research and Innovation of the University of Alicante for the award of an FPU grant

Hydrolase enzyme activities in a successional gradient of biological soil crusts in arid and semi-arid zones.

In arid and semi-arid regions, pioneer organisms form complex communities that penetrate the upper millimetres of the bare substrate, creating biological soil crusts (BSC). These thin crusts play a vital role in whole ecosystem functioning because they enrich bare surfaces with organic matter, initiate biogeochemical cycling of elements, modify hydrological cycles, etc., thus enabling the ground to be colonized by vascular plants. Various hydrolase enzymes involved in the carbon (cellulase, ß-glucosidase and invertase activities), nitrogen (casein-protease and BAA- protease activities) and phosphorus (alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity) cycles were studied at three levels (crust, middle and deep layers) of three types of BSCs from the Tabernas Desert (SE Spain), representing an ecological gradient ranging from crusts predominated by cyanobacteria to crusts predominated by lichens (Diploschistes diacapsis, Lepraria crassissima). All enzyme activities were higher in all layers of all BSCs than in the bare substrate. The enzymes that hydrolyze low molecular weight substrates were more active than those that hydrolyze high molecular weight substrates (cellulase, casein-protease), highlighting the pioneering characteristics of the BSCs. The hydrolytic capacity developed in parallel to that of ecological succession, and the BSCs in which enzyme activity was highest were those under Lepraria crassissima. The enzyme activity per unit of total organic C was extremely high; the highest values occurred in the BSCs formed by cyanobacteria and the lowest in those formed by lichens, which 2 indicates the fundamental role that the primary colonizers (cyanobacteria) play in enriching the geological substrate with enzymes that enable degradation of organic remains and the establishment of more developed BSCs. The results of the study combine information on different enzyme activities and provide a clear vision of how biogeochemical cycles are established in BSCs, thus confirming the usefulness of enzyme assays as key tools for examining the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem function in biological soil crusts.Peer reviewe

A comparison of Clinical Risk Index for babies (CRIB-II), Score for Neonatal Acute Physiology (SNAP-II) and SNAPPE-II in predicting parenteral nutrition necessity in low birth weight preterm neonates.

Advances in perinatal care have made it possible to improve survival of low birth weight neonates. Clinical risk index for babies (CRIB-II), score for neonatal acute physiology (SNAP-II), and SNAP-perinatal extension-II (SNAPPE-II) have been used as mortality predictors for preterm infants. Feeding intolerance is very frequent in preterm neonates, and the development of an early effective biomarker for its prediction could be useful for carrying out a proper feeding strategy. Our aim was to compare the ability of CRIB-II, SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II in predict the feeding intolerance and parenteral nutrition necessity in preterm neonates. Methods: A retrospective cohort study on preterm neonates’ born at Jaen Hospital Complex with low birth weight and ≤ 36 weeks of gestation was done. Epidemiological, clinical and clinical scores CRIB II, SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II were recorded. Results: 255 low birth weight preterm neonates, 131 males (51.4%), aged ≤32 weeks of gestation (71%), were enrolled at our hospital. Parenteral nutrition needed were significantly higher in preterm neonates weighed 2500-1500 g (73.3%) and ≤ 1000g (87%). CRIB-II, SNAP-II and SNAPPE-II mean values were higher in neonates group subjected to parenteral nutrition compared with oral nutrition (p<0.05). CRIB-II and SNAPPE-II scores significantly correlated with parenteral nutrition days (p<0.05). Overall mortality rate was 11%. The 78.6% of all deceased infants needed parenteral nutrition. Conclusion: Clinical Risk Index for babies (CRIB-II) better than SNAPPE-II correlated with the feeding intolerance and thus the parenteral nutrition days in preterm neonates with low birth weight.Subvencionado: Ayuda del Plan Propio de Investigación de la UMA. Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Biological and microbial activity in biological soil crusts from the Tabernas desert, a sub-arid zone in SE Spain.

The ecology and functional role of biological soil crusts (BSCs) in arid and semi-arid zones have been extremely well studied. However, little is known about the biochemical properties related to the number and activity of the microbiota that form the crusts, even though information about these properties is very important for understanding many of the processes that affect the formations. In this study, several properties related to the activity and number of microorganisms (biomass-C, basal respiration, dehydrogenase activity and nitrogen mineralization potential) were determined at different depths (crusts, 0-0.5 cm; middle, 0.5-3 cm and deep, 3-5 cm layers) in two types of crusts (predominated by cyanobacteria and by lichens) in the Tabernas desert (Almeria, SE Spain). The absolute values of the above-mentioned properties and the values expressed relative to the total organic carbon (TOC) content were both much higher in the crust layers than in the surface horizons of soils under Mediterranean or Atlantic climates. A large part of the TOC in the BSCs was contained in the microbiota and another large part was readily metabolized during incubation of the crusts for 10 days at 25 °C. The net nitrogen mineralization rate was also high, and ammonification predominated in the crust layers, whereas nitrification predominated in the middle and deep layers. In all types of BSCs, the microbiota colonized the deep layers, although with greater intensity in the lichen-dominated BSCs than in the cyanobacterial BSCs. The results also indicate that hydrolytic enzymes are not stabilized on soil colloids and their activity depends only on the active microbiota.Peer reviewe

Optimización de una Técnica Espectrofotométrica de Medida de Ecotoxicidad en Algas por Microtitulaciones

Ante la problemática de la gran presencia de fármacos tanto de uso humano como veterinario en el medio ambiente, surge la necesidad de evaluar el riesgo ambiental de estos compuestos en la cadena trófica. Para ello se requiere el desarrollo de estudios ecotoxicológicos en diferentes especies bioindicadoras de la misma, como son las algas, las daphnias y los peces. Se ha llevado a cabo la puesta a punto, mediante microtitulaciones, de una técnica espectrofotométrica para medir la inhibición de crecimiento en algas Selenastrum capricornutum ante la presencia de medicamentos en el medio acuático con el objetivo de minimizar gastos en material y tiempo. Los resultados preliminares de este estudio permiten obtener datos de ecotoxicidad de fármacos con fiabilidad y se ha demostrado que la modificación de la técnica es reproducible

Constructing the therapeutic alliance in couple therapy: An illustrative case study with therapeutic management difficulties

Este estudio tiene como objetivo conocer cómo se construye y modula la alianza terapéutica en un caso de terapia de pareja que presentaba desde el inicio varios indicadores de dificultad de manejo terapéutico. A través del Sistema de Observación de la Alianza Terapéutica en Intervención Familiar (SOATIF-o) se analizó la evolución de cuatro dimensiones de la alianza terapéutica (Enganche en el Proceso Terapéutico, Conexión Emocional con el terapeuta, Seguridad en el Sistema Terapéutico y Sentido de Compartir el Propósito de la Terapia en la Familia) en la primera, tercera, y sexta sesión. Los resultados hallados muestran como de las cuatro dimensiones que mide el SOATIF-o, las dimensiones Seguridad en el Sistema Terapéutico y Sentido de Compartir el Propósito de la Terapia en la Familia fueron las que expresaron mejor las dificultades de construir una buena alianza terapéutica en las fases iniciales del tratamiento y resultaron ser las dos dimensiones más discriminativas para valorar la viabilidad y el pronóstico del tratamiento. En conclusión, este estudio permite conocer en profundidad cómo se construye la alianza terapéutica en un caso de terapia de pareja a lo largo del proceso psicoterapéutico.The purpose of this study is to learn how the therapeutic alliance is constructed and modulated in a case of couple therapy that presented different indicators of difficulties in the therapeutic management. With the support of the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances (SOFTA-o) the evolution of four dimensions of the therapeutic alliance was analyzed (Engagement in the Therapeutic Process, Emotional Connection with the Therapist, Safety within the Therapeutic System, and Shared Sense of purpose within the Family) in the first, third and sixth sessions. The results showed how out of the four dimensions that the SOFTA-o measures, the Safety within the Therapeutic System, and Shared Sense of Purpose within the Family dimensions were the ones that better expressed the difficulties of building a satisfactory therapeutic alliance in the initial phases of treatment and resulted to be the two most discriminative dimensions to consider viability and prognosis of the treatment. In conclusion, this study has allowed analyzing in detail how the therapeutic alliance is built in a couple therapy case throughout the psychotherapeutic process