Intercambio estuario-ría de elementos traza en el sistema costero de la ría de Vigo (NO Península Ibérica)

[EN] Little research has been done on the land-sea exchange of trace elements, which is particularly applicable to ria coasts. In particular, trace metal enrichment in the inner part of the Ria of Vigo (the San Simon Inlet) has been observed from sediment studies but there is no information about Cd, Pb and Zn fluxes through the Rande Strait, which is the natural boundary of the estuary-ria water exchange. In order to assess metal exchanges in a ria-type system, six sampling cruises on board the R/V Mytilus (IIM-CSIC) were carried out. Water column profiles of salinity, temperature and tidal currents were obtained every 30 min. The water column for dissolved and particulate metals was sampled every two hours over a complete tidal cycle. Dissolved metal concentrations were 0.01–0.18 nM for Cd, 0.5-1.9 nM for Pb and 4-44 nM for Zn. Compared with Zn (16±12%) and especially with Cd (5.4±5.0%), particulate metal represented a significant fraction of the total concentration for Pb (41±21%). Net fluxes of dissolved Cd and Zn are higher than in the particulate phase, whereas for Pb an inverse situation was observed. The net metal exchange in the Vigo estuary-ria environment was not seasonally controlled. Dissolved Cd and Pb were driven by tidal ranges and particulate Pb by the Oitavén River flow. On the other hand, Zn did not show a defined trend. The budgets obtained for the Ria of Vigo, with the exception of Pb, were one or two orders of magnitude lower than those measured in other large European estuaries[ES] Intercambio estuario-ría de elementos traza en el sistema costero de la ría de Vigo (NO península Ibérica). – Existen pocos estudios sobre los elementos traza en el intercambio tierra-océano, lo que es especialmente aplicable a las zonas costeras de las rías. En particular, respecto a la ría de Vigo se ha observado un enriquecimiento de metales traza en sedimentos pero se carece de información acerca de los flujos de Cd, Pb y Zn a través del estrecho de Rande, que es la frontera natural para el intercambio estuario-ría. A fin de evaluar este tipo de intercambios se realizaron seis campañas oceanográficas a bordo del B/I Mytilus (IIM-CSIC) para cuantificar los flujos de Cd, Pb y Zn en diferentes estaciones del año. Se obtuvieron perfiles verticales de salinidad, temperatura y corrientes cada 30 min en el centro del estrecho de Rande durante un ciclo de marea. Además, se recogieron muestras de agua en cuatro niveles cada 2h. Las concentraciones de metales disueltos oscilaron entre 0.01 y 0.18 nM para Cd, 0.5 y 1.9 nM para Pb y 4 y 44 nM para Zn. Los metales particulados supusieron una fracción pequeña respecto del contenido total de metal (5.4±5.0% para Cd y 16±12% para zinc) salvo para el plomo (41±21%). Los flujos netos de Cd y Zn disuelto fueron superiores a los del particulado mientras que para Pb ocurrió lo contrario. El intercambio de metales en el entorno estuario-ría no parece depender de las estaciones del año sino de la altura de la marea en el caso de Cd y Pb disuelto y del caudal fluvial para Pb particulado mientras que Zn no presentó una tendencia definida. Excepto para Pb, los balances obtenidos son de uno a dos órdenes de magnitud inferiores a los de otros estuarios europeos.Peer reviewe

Experimenting with RC and RL series circuits using smartphones as function generators and oscilloscopes

Simple, portable and low-cost experiments as RC and RL series circuits are proposed as examples to experiment with DC circuits. Very common elements are used: few electronics components (resistors, capacitors, coils and connecting wires) and two martphones. We consider the charging and discharging of a capacitor in the RC circuit and also that of coil in the RL circuit. Using a smartphone as a oscilloscope we observe voltages variations which are the transient response to a square signal generated in the second smartphones. These voltage variations are directly related to the electrostatic or magnetic energy stored in the circuits. The experimental data have been collected with the smartphone used as an oscilloscope. This approach which avoids the use of expensive signal generators, oscilloscopes, or any specialized hardware can be performed in less-favored contexts and even as a home assignment.Comment: 7 pages, 7 fig

Narrowing the Tolerance Factor Limits for Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Dicyanamide-Perovskites

[Abstract] In this work we focus in setting the limits of the tolerance factor and the size of the A-cations that stabilize the perovskite structure in hybrid dicyanamide compounds [A][Mn(dca)3]. For this purpose, we propose an alternative, simple approach to calculate a more realistic effective ionic radius for the large and anisotropic A-cations often present in these type of compounds. We test the proposed procedure by analysing the crystal structures of [A][Mn(dca)3] dicyanamide hybrids reported in the literature and recalculating the tolerance factors of such compounds, as well as by preparing five new [A][Mn(dca)3] members, discussing also the influence of the A-cation shape in the stability limits of the perovskite structure. Interestingly, such methodology is not only useful to develop new compounds of the emerging family of (multi)functional multi(stimuli)-responsive dicyanamide materials but can also be applied to other hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites and related materials.As for financial support, the authors thank Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MINECO and EU-FEDER (projects MAT2017-86453-R and PDC2021-121076-I00), and Xunta de Galicia for the collaboration agreement “Development of research strategic actions Universidade da Coruña I ​+ ​D ​+ ​i 2021–2022: CICA-Disrupting Projects 2021SEM-A3 (NanoCool). J.G.-B. and J.M.B.-G. acknowledge Xunta de Galicia for Predoctoral and Postdoctoral Fellowships, respectively. I.D.-F thanks Ministerio de Universidades for a FPU Predoctoral Fellowship. A. G.-F. and U.B.C thank the Carl Tryggers foundation and the Göran Gustafsson foundation for financial suppor

A Study on Physical Exercise and General Mobility in People with Cerebral Palsy: Health through Costless Routines

[Abstract] Sedentary behavior (SB) is a common problem that may produce health issues in people with cerebral palsy (CP). When added to a progressive reduction in motor functions over time, SB can lead to higher percentages of body fat, muscle stiffness and associated health issues in this population. Regular physical activity (RPA) may prevent the loss of motor skills and reduce health risks. In this work, we analyzed data collected from 40 people (20 children and teenagers, and 20 adults) who attend two specialist centers in Seville to obtain an up-to-date picture regarding the practice of RPA in people with CP. Roughly 60% of the participants showed mostly mid/severe mobility difficulties, while 38% also had communicative issues. Most of the participants performed light-intensity physical activity (PA) at least once or twice a week and, in the majority of cases, had a neutral or positive attitude to exercising. In the Asociación Sevillana de Parálisis Cerebral (ASPACE) sample test, the higher the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), the higher the percentage of negative responses to doing exercise. Conversely, in the Centro Específico de Educación Especial Mercedes Sanromá (CEEEMS), people likes PA but slightly higher ratios of positive responses were found at Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels V and II, agreeing with the higher personal engagement of people at those levels. We have also performed a literature review regarding RPA in CP and the use of low-cost equipment. As a conclusion, we found that RPA produces enormous benefits for health and motor functions, whatever its intensity and duration. Costless activities such as walking, running or playing sports; exercises requiring low-cost equipment such as elastic bands, certain smartwatches or video-games; or therapies with animals, among many others, have all demonstrated their suitability for such a purpose.This research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, State Plan 2017–2020: Challenges—R&D&I Projects with grant codes PID2019-104323RB-C32 and PID2019-104323RB-C33

Discovery of Colossal Breathing-Caloric Effect under Low Applied Pressure in the Hybrid Organic–Inorganic MIL-53(Al) Material

Financiado para publicación en acceso aberto: Universidade da Coruña/CISUG[Abstract] In this work, “breathing-caloric” effect is introduced as a new term to define very large thermal changes that arise from the combination of structural changes and gas adsorption processes occurring during breathing transitions. In regard to cooling and heating applications, this innovative caloric effect appears under very low working pressures and in a wide operating temperature range. This phenomenon, whose origin is analyzed in depth, is observed and reported here for the first time in the porous hybrid organic–inorganic MIL-53(Al) material. This MOF compound exhibits colossal thermal changes of ΔS ∼ 311 J K–1 kg–1 and ΔH ∼ 93 kJ kg–1 at room temperature (298 K) and under only 16 bar, pressure which is similar to that of common gas refrigerants at the same operating temperature (for instance, p(CO2) ∼ 64 bar and p(R134a) ∼ 6 bar) and noticeably lower than p > 1000 bar of most solid barocaloric materials. Furthermore, MIL-53(Al) can operate in a very wide temperature range from 333 K down to 254 K, matching the operating requirements of most HVAC systems. Therefore, these findings offer new eco-friendly alternatives to the current refrigeration systems that can be easily adapted to existing technologies and open the door to the innovation of future cooling systems yet to be developed.This work was financially supported by Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MINECO and EU-FEDER (projects MAT2017-86453-R and PDC2021-121076-I00), Xunta de Galicia and IACOBUS Programme. Funding for open access fee was provided by Universidade da Coruña/CISU

Controlling a Mouse Pointer with a Single-Channel EEG Sensor

Goals: The purpose of this study was to analyze the feasibility of using the information obtained from a one-channel electro-encephalography (EEG) signal to control a mouse pointer. We used a low-cost headset, with one dry sensor placed at the FP1 position, to steer a mouse pointer and make selections through a combination of the user’s attention level with the detection of voluntary blinks. There are two types of cursor movements: spinning and linear displacement. A sequence of blinks allows for switching between these movement types, while the attention level modulates the cursor’s speed. The influence of the attention level on performance was studied. Additionally, Fitts’ model and the evolution of the emotional states of participants, among other trajectory indicators, were analyzed. (2) Methods: Twenty participants distributed into two groups (Attention and No-Attention) performed three runs, on different days, in which 40 targets had to be reached and selected. Target positions and distances from the cursor’s initial position were chosen, providing eight different indices of difficulty (IDs). A self-assessment manikin (SAM) test and a final survey provided information about the system’s usability and the emotions of participants during the experiment. (3) Results: The performance was similar to some brain–computer interface (BCI) solutions found in the literature, with an averaged information transfer rate (ITR) of 7 bits/min. Concerning the cursor navigation, some trajectory indicators showed our proposed approach to be as good as common pointing devices, such as joysticks, trackballs, and so on. Only one of the 20 participants reported difficulty in managing the cursor and, according to the tests, most of them assessed the experience positively. Movement times and hit rates were significantly better for participants belonging to the attention group. (4) Conclusions: The proposed approach is a feasible low-cost solution to manage a mouse pointe

Crítica de Libros.

Psychose naissante, psychose unique? H. Grivois. Masson. París 1991. 156 pag. Ana-Esther Sánchez Los suicidios. .B. Sarró, C. de la Cruz. .Biblioteca de Psicología, Psiquiatría y Salud. Serie Salud. Emilia García Castro Unidades de Salud Mental en el Hospital General. A. Gómez Cali. 2.000. Ediciones Martínez Roca 1991. J.C. González García Paradojas en psicoanálisis. G. Mattioli. Ed. Lagos. A. Menéndez Barreiro Manual para el educador social. M. Costa, E. López. Centro de Publicaciones. Ministerios de Asuntos Sociales. Madrid, 1991. J.L. Pedreira Massa Intervención clínica y educativa del ámbito escolar. J.M. Román Sánchez, D.A.García Villamisar (Edts.). Editorial Promolibro. Valencia, 1990. Rústica, 187 pags. J. L. Pedreira Mass

Crítica de Libros.

Psychose naissante, psychose unique? H. Grivois. Masson. París 1991. 156 pag. Ana-Esther Sánchez Los suicidios. .B. Sarró, C. de la Cruz. .Biblioteca de Psicología, Psiquiatría y Salud. Serie Salud. Emilia García Castro Unidades de Salud Mental en el Hospital General. A. Gómez Cali. 2.000. Ediciones Martínez Roca 1991. J.C. González García Paradojas en psicoanálisis. G. Mattioli. Ed. Lagos. A. Menéndez Barreiro Manual para el educador social. M. Costa, E. López. Centro de Publicaciones. Ministerios de Asuntos Sociales. Madrid, 1991. J.L. Pedreira Massa Intervención clínica y educativa del ámbito escolar. J.M. Román Sánchez, D.A.García Villamisar (Edts.). Editorial Promolibro. Valencia, 1990. Rústica, 187 pags. J. L. Pedreira Mass

Near-Room-Temperature Reversible Giant Barocaloric Effects in [(CH₃)₄N]Mn[N₃]₃ Hybrid Perovskite

[Abstract] We report giant reversible barocaloric effects in [(CH₃)₄N]Mn[N₃]₃ hybrid organic–inorganic perovskite, near its first-order cubic-monoclinic structural phase transition at ₀ ∼ 305 K. When driving the transition thermally at atmospheric pressure, the transition displays a large change in entropy of ∼80 J K⁻¹ kg⁻¹ and a small thermal hysteresis of ∼7 K, as well as a large change in volume of ∼1.5%. When driving the transition with pressure near room temperature, the transition displays large changes in entropy of ∼70 J K⁻¹ kg⁻¹, which represent a giant barocaloric response. Hybrid perovskites with similar barocaloric response and lower operating temperatures may find applications in environmentally friendly cooling.The authors are grateful for financial support from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad MINECO and EU-FEDER (MAT2017-86453-R), Xunta de Galicia (ED431G/09), FAMEPA (COOPI-07771/17), and ERC Starting Grant no. 680032Xunta de Galicia; ED431G/0