Efectos de la aplicación de biosólidos en plantaciones de especies leñosas para restauración de canteras de caliza mediterráneas

Los programas de restauración de las canteras de caliza situadas en el macizo del Garraf (sudoeste de la cordillera Litoral catalana) contemplan la plantación de especies leñosas autóctonas como medida para mitigar el impacto visual y para optimizar la restauración ecológica tras la explotación del recurso mineral. Las condiciones ambientales de partida poco favorables (elevadas pendientes y substratos poco fértiles) pueden ser limitantes para la instalación y evolución de leñosas, de forma que la adición de compost puede ser una vía para mejorar su rendimiento. En este trabajo evaluamos el efecto de la aplicación extensiva de compost en plantaciones de cuatro especies de árboles y arbustos de un año de edad en parcelas sembradas con distintas mezclas de herbáceas. Como resultado principal se observó que en las parcelas con compost la supervivencia de Pinus halepensis y Rhamnus alaternus fue menor, aunque el crecimiento de las cuatro especies ensayadas fue superior. Las leñosas presentaron una supervivencia superior en las parcelas sembradas con herbáceas autóctonas, que habían desarrollado menor cobertura, respecto a las siembras con herbáceas comerciales, con mayor cubierta

The magnetocaloric effect in soft magnetic amorphous alloys

The influence of different compositional modifications on the magnetic entropy change and refrigerant capacity of Finemet, Nanoperm, HiTperm, and bulk amorphous alloys is presented. For all the studied alloys, the field dependence of the magnetic entropy change exhibits a quadratic dependence in the paramagnetic regime, a linear dependence in the ferromagnetic temperature range, and a potential law with a field exponent 0.75 at the Curie temperature. This exponent can be explained using the critical exponents of the Curie transition. It is shown that for alloys of similar compositional series, the magnetic entropy change follows a master curve behaviorSpanish Government and EU-Feder, MAT 2004-04618PAI of Junta de Andaluci

Twin Seasonality in a Rural Catalonian Population

The seasonality of twinning in the Spanish populations has not been studied until now. Differences between seasonal distribution of the twin conceptions and those of the single births have been observed in other populations. The aim of this work is to explore the frequency of twinning in a rural population from Catalonia during the nineteenth century, as well as the seasonality patterns characterizing each of the twinning types. Data corresponding to all births recorded at Tortosa (South Catalonia) from 1801 to 1900 have been analyzed in order to study the twinning distribution. The distribution of the moving averages of the monthly rates of twins shows a peak in autumn. Twinning distribution differs from the total births’ distribution in Tortosa. This fact is very clear in the case of unlike-sexed twins that have their greater incidence in the last quarter of the year, while the total maternities have their peak in the first one

Relationship between mechanical amorphization and boron integration during processing of FeNbB alloys

Fe75Nb10B15 alloys were prepared by mechanical alloying using different boron powders (crystalline B, commercial amorphous B, optimized amorphous B and intermetallic FeB) in the initial mixture, in order to study the boron incorporation into the Fe matrix and its influence on the amorphization of the alloys. Another composition with the same Fe/Nb ratio but whithout boron was prepared in order to differentiate between the influence of B and Nb in the evolution of microstucture and magnetic properties. Amorphization of samples was followed by X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy, concluding that only B-containing alloys develop an amorphous phase, while for the B-free alloy a supersaturated solid solution was observed as the final microstructure. Nb is rapidly incorporated into the matrix whereas remaining B inclusions are found at the end of the explored milling range for all B-containing samples. The amount of dissolved boron into the amorphous matrix was estimated from magnetic measurements, being the alloy prepared using FeB powder the one that most effectively dissolves this elemen

Aislamiento e identificación de bacterias endófitas para el control biológico de hongos fitopatógenos del melón

Agradecimientos: al proyecto PID2020-116055RB-C22 I+D+I financiado por MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011003 y al proyecto A11-20R financiado por el Gobierno de AragónPublishe

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

COVID-19 symptoms at hospital admission vary with age and sex: results from the ISARIC prospective multinational observational study

Background: The ISARIC prospective multinational observational study is the largest cohort of hospitalized patients with COVID-19. We present relationships of age, sex, and nationality to presenting symptoms. Methods: International, prospective observational study of 60 109 hospitalized symptomatic patients with laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 recruited from 43 countries between 30 January and 3 August 2020. Logistic regression was performed to evaluate relationships of age and sex to published COVID-19 case definitions and the most commonly reported symptoms. Results: ‘Typical’ symptoms of fever (69%), cough (68%) and shortness of breath (66%) were the most commonly reported. 92% of patients experienced at least one of these. Prevalence of typical symptoms was greatest in 30- to 60-year-olds (respectively 80, 79, 69%; at least one 95%). They were reported less frequently in children (≤ 18 years: 69, 48, 23; 85%), older adults (≥ 70 years: 61, 62, 65; 90%), and women (66, 66, 64; 90%; vs. men 71, 70, 67; 93%, each P < 0.001). The most common atypical presentations under 60 years of age were nausea and vomiting and abdominal pain, and over 60 years was confusion. Regression models showed significant differences in symptoms with sex, age and country. Interpretation: This international collaboration has allowed us to report reliable symptom data from the largest cohort of patients admitted to hospital with COVID-19. Adults over 60 and children admitted to hospital with COVID-19 are less likely to present with typical symptoms. Nausea and vomiting are common atypical presentations under 30 years. Confusion is a frequent atypical presentation of COVID-19 in adults over 60 years. Women are less likely to experience typical symptoms than men

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Evolución de la edad de menarquía en Cataluña (1909-1965)

En una muestra de 5500 mujeres catalanas nacidas entre 1909 y 1965 se ha estudiado la evolución de la edad de menarquáa. La edad máxima de menarquía hallada en Cataluña (13,71 años) corresponde a las mujeres nacidas entre 1925 y 1929, y la mínima (12,75 años) se presenta en las nacidas entre 1950 y 1954. En un intervalo de 25 años se ha producido una reducción de 11,52 meses (4,61 meses por década). Puede considerarse que, en general, la evolución de las condiciones socioeconómicas ha sido el factor decisivo en el cambio en el crecimiento y desarrollo de la población.In this paper, the evolution of age at menarche in a sample of 5500 catalan women, born between 1909 and 1965, has been analyzed. The maximum menarcheal age in Catalonia (13.71 years) is found among those women born between 1925 and 1929 and the minimum menarceal age (12.75 years) among women born between 1950 and 1954. In a interval of 25 years a reduction of 11.52 months (4.61 months per decade) has taken place. It may be considered that, in general, the evolution of the socioeconomic conditions has been the decisive factor in the change in growth and maduration of the population

El cólera en Salamanca: Análisis comparado de las epidemias del siglo XIX

Cholera attacks Salamanca in three epidemic outbreaks in 1834, 1855 and 1885-86. All of them cause an interruption of the general course of life demanding a reorganization of sanitary and economic activities. Its impact is favoured by the limitations of the water supply and waste management leading to the consumption of water and food contaminated by the bacteria that produces it. Advances in knowledge at the third epidemic wave made a more effective management possible, but could not avoid the conflicts between public health and economic and social life. The use of unpublished sources and the confrontation of epidemiological sources and general mortality from parish books and civil registry allow us to estimate the impacts of each epidemic as well as the differential effects according to geography, sex and age.El cólera ataca Salamanca en tres brotes epidémicos en 1834, 1855 y 1885-86. Todos ellos causan una interrupción del curso general de la vida exigiendo una reorganización de las actividades sanitarias y económicas. Su impacto se ve facilitado por las limitaciones del abastecimiento de agua y de gestión de residuos que favorecen el consumo de aguas y alimentos contaminados por la bacteria que lo produce. Los avances en el conocimiento en la tercera epidemia permiten un enfrentamiento más efectivo, pero no pueden evitar el conflicto entre salud pública y vida económica y social. La utilización de fuentes inéditas y la confrontación de las fuentes epidemiológicas y de la mortalidad general a partir de los libros parroquiales y del registro civil nos permiten estimar los impactos de cada epidemia así como los efectos diferenciados geográficamente o por sexos y edades