Gamow-Teller properties of the double beta-decay partners 116Cd(Sn) and 150Nd(Sm)

The two Gamow-Teller (GT) branches connecting the double-beta decay partners (116Cd, 116Sn) and (150Nd, 150Sm) with the intermediate nuclei 116In and 150Pm are studied within a microscopic approach based on a deformed proton-neutron quasiparticle random-phase approximation built on a Skyrme selfconsistent mean field with pairing correlations and spin-isospin residual forces. The results are compared with the experimental GT strength distributions extracted from charge-exchange reactions. Combining the two branches, the nuclear matrix elements for the two-neutrino double-beta decay are evaluated and compared to experimental values derived from the measured half-lives.Comment: 10 pages, 16 figure

Improvement of the Mediterranean Agro-Silvopastoral System Montado

Montado is an old man-made agro-silvopastoral system, with three vegetation components (trees, shrubs and herbs) used for multiple species animal husbandry in extensive production systems (Potes & Babo, 2003). Several authors have reported on the improvement of Mediterranean annual self-reseeding pastures (Espejo-Diaz, 1996) and increased stocking rates

Spreading the use of economic methods in coastal risk management: a simple but insightful “calculator”

Navas, F.; Malvárez, G.; Penning-Rowsell, E., and Parker, D.J., 2020. Spreading the use of economic methods in coastal risk management: A simple but insightful "calculator". In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 1217–1222. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. European Directives, such as the EU Floods Directive (2007/60/EC) require that decision makers include objective methodologies, such as benefit-cost analysis, in their assessments of flood risk reduction measures. Methodologies to establish a sustainable knowledge framework addressing the costs and benefits of prevention and response to coastal hazards resulting from hydro-meteorological, hydrographic and other natural events and processes (e.g. flooding, beach erosion, cliff erosion, sea level rise) are not homogeneously implemented in the European Union. Until now, investment decisions in this field have been made more on local political imperatives than logical economic risk assessments. This paper aims to overcome some these limitations by demonstrating the usefulness of a simplified benefit-cost methodology and its application to a coastal case where a number of alternative flood risk reduction schemes are considered. The method allows the economically optimal scheme to be identified. The method is discussed within the context of generally poorly comprehended aspects; issues presented in coupling benefit-cost methods with vulnerability and related assessments; and key data uncertainties

Growth hormone AluI polymorphism analysis in eight Portuguese bovine breeds

A total of 195 bulls of eight Portuguese beef cattle breeds (Alentejana, Arouquesa, Barros , Maronesa, Marinhoa, Mertolenga, Mirandesa and Preta) were genotyped for the GH AluI polymorphism by the polymerase chain reaction and restriction length polymorphism (PCRRFLP). The genotype and gene frequencies for each breed were determined and shown to be quite variable among the breeds. The overall gene frequencies for L and V were 0.759 and 0.241, respectively. The relation between the bGH-AluI polymorphism and growth performances was ascertained in 168 of the animals analysed. According to our results there is a significant association between the genotypes LL and LV of the bGH and the average live body weight of the animals of the breeds Alentejana, Marinhoa and Preta

Dinâmica populacional: variação sazonal dos grupos funcionais fitoplanctônicos em reservatórios brasileiros (Billings e Guarapiranga, São Paulo)

Phytoplankton may function as a "sensor" of changes in aquatic environment and responds rapidly to such changes. In freshwaters, coexistence of species that have similar ecological requirements and show the same environmental requirements frequently occurs; such species groups are named functional groups. The use of phytoplankton functional groups to evaluate these changes has proven to be very useful and effective. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of functional groups of phytoplankton in two reservoirs (Billings and Guarapiranga) that supply water to millions of people in São Paulo city Metropolitan Area, southeastern Brazil. Surface water samples were collected monthly and physical, chemical and biological (quantitative and qualitative analyses of the phytoplankton) were performed. The highest biovolume (mm³.L-1) of the descriptor species and functional groups were represented respectively by Anabaena circinalis Rabenh. (H1), Microcystis aeruginosa (Kützing) Kützing (L M/M) and Mougeotia sp. (T) in the Guarapiranga reservoir and Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Wolosz.) Seen. and Subba Raju (S N), Microcystis aeruginosa and M. panniformis Komárek et al. (L M/M), Planktothrix agardhii (Gom.) Anagn. and Komárek and P. cf. clathrata (Skuja) Anagn. and Komárek (S1) in the Billings reservoir. The environmental factors that most influenced the phytoplankton dynamics were water temperature, euphotic zone, turbidity, conductivity, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrate and total phosphorous.A comunidade fitoplanctônica pode funcionar como sensor das variações do ambiente aquático respondendo rapidamente as essas alterações. Em sistemas aquáticos continentais é comum a coexistência de espécies que possuem as mesmas necessidades ecológicas e apresentam as mesmas tolerâncias ambientais, tais grupos de espécies fitoplanctônicas são denominados grupos funcionais. O uso de grupos funcionais fitoplanctônicos para avaliar tais alterações tem se mostrado muito útil e eficaz. Assim, o objetivo do estudo foi avaliar a ocorrência de grupos funcionais fitoplanctônicos em dois reservatórios (Billings e Guarapiranga) que suprem de água milhões de pessoas na Região Metropolitana de São Paulo, Sudeste do Brasil. As amostras foram coletadas mensalmente na superfície da coluna d'água e foram analisadas as variáveis físicas, químicas e biológicas (análises qualitativa e quantitativa do fitoplâncton). Os maiores valores de biovolume (mm³.L-1) das espécies descritoras e grupos funcionais foram representados por Anabaena circinalis (H1), Microcystis aeruginosa (L M/M) e Mougeotia sp. (T) no Reservatório Guarapiranga e por Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (S N), Microcystis aeruginosa e M. panniformis (L M/M), Planktothrix agardhii e P. cf. clathrata (S1) no Reservatório Billings. Os principais fatores ambientais que interferiram na dinâmica do fitoplâncton foram: temperatura da água, zona eufótica, turbidez, condutividade, pH, oxigênio dissolvido, nitrato e fósforo total

Estudio descriptivo del programa de rehabilitación cardiaca de la Clínica Las Américas

Estudio descriptivo de antes y después que demuestra la eficacia y seguridad del Programa de Rehabilitación Cardiaca de la Clínica Las Américas, con base en un seguimiento a 77 pacientes, en el que se evidenció mejoría de la capacidad funcional así como disminución del perímetro abdominal y de las cifras basales de presión arterial sistólica y diastólica sin complicaciones severas, en todos los tipos de paciente, independientemente de la fracción de eyección o las variables demográficas. De igual forma, se describen las características epidemiológicas de la población y de los factores de riesgo cardio-cerebro-vascular.A before and after descriptive study that shows the efficacy and safety of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program of the Clínica Las Americas, based on the follow-up of 77 patients in which we evidenced improvement in functional capacity as well as a decrease of abdominal girth and baseline values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure without severe complications in all type of patients, regardless of ejection fraction or demographic variables. Likewise, we describe the epidemiological characteristics of the population and the cardio-cerebro-vascular risk factors

RIVERSIDE WALK

En el marco de la Ley de Barrios desde el año 2009 existe un plan para integrar los barrios de Baró de Viver y Bon Pastor en la ciudad de Barcelona. Las directrices del plan son la mejora del espacio público y mejorar la conexión de los barrios entre sí y con los barrios y municipios que colinda. Dentro de la estrategia se incluye el abrirse al Río Besós a través de corredores verdes y la instalación de equipamiento. En este sentido y con el argumento de dotar de espacio público de calidad para favorecer la cohesión urbana de los barrios barceloneses se plantea el proyecto del Paseo de Ribera. El proyecto consiste en convertir una autopista urbana en un paseo. El paseo intenta también pacificar la zona mediante la eliminación de la contaminación visual y acústica causada por la Ronda Litoral (al margen del Río Besós). Como respuesta a dicha problemática el proyecto consiste en el cubrimiento de la Ronda Litoral, creando así 1.5km de espacio público de calidad, en donde mediante un juego de vegetación y zonas de sol se crean distintos espacios que dinamizan la zona y conectan los barrios. El proyecto contempla que la plataforma que cubre la Ronda cuente con encuentros pacíficos con todas y cada una de las calles que aciertan con el. El Paseo de Ribera se encontraría a menos de 400m de 4 estaciones de metro y contaría con tres pasarelas peatonales que darían entrada a Barcelona desde el municipio vecino de Santa Coloma. Como eje rector de la estrategia integradora se encuentra la instalación de equipamiento en común, que compartirían ambos barrios, en la parte central del Paseo de Ribera. Dentro de las directrices del plan para la zona de la ley de barrios se encuentra la importancia de la participación ciudadana, en ese sentido se contempla realizar un proceso participativo desde la fase inicial de diseño del Paseo, en donde se someta a debate, reflexión y propuesta de los vecinos el diseño mismo del Paseo de Ribera y de su equipamiento partiendo de la idea de cubrir la Ronda Litoral en un inicio. El Paseo de Ribera vincularía a los barrios y al Polígono Industrial con el Río Besós, además de que articularía la zona a través de espacio público de calidad. Con un lenguaje de diseño urbano aquí se presenta el proyecto del Paseo de Ribera como uno de los tres ejes articuladores de la estrategia de cohesión urbana en la zona.Since 2009, and as part of the Neighborhood Law (Ley de Barrios of Catalonia) there is a strategic plan to integrate neighborhoods Baró de Viver and Bon Pastor in the city of Barcelona. The guidelines of the plan are to improve public space and to better connect neighborhoods to each other and the adjoining districts and municipalities. Within the strategy includes opening the Besos River to the urban territory through green corridors and installation of equipment. In this sense, the argument is to provide qualified public space to encourage the urban cohesiveness of the neighborhoods through the creation of a new Riverside Walk. The project consists in converting an urban highway into a pacified walk. The stroll also attempts to pacify the area by removing the visual and acoustic pollution caused by the Ronda Litoral (Highway next to the Besos River). In response to this problem the project consists in covering the Ronda Litoral, creating 1.5km of qualified public space, where a set of vegetation and the generation of sun areas will create different spaces that invigorate the territory and connect the neighborhoods. The platform covering the Ronda Litoral includes peaceful meetings with each and every one of the streets that are right with it. The Riverside Walk will be found within less than 400m from 4 metro stations and will have three pedestrian walkways as an access to Barcelona from the neighboring municipality of Santa Coloma. The installation of common equipment, to be shared by the two neighborhoods in the central part of the Riverside Walk is a guiding principle of the integrated strategy. Within the guidelines of the plan for the area of Ley de Barrios lies the importance of public participation; in that sense it is contemplated a participatory process from the initial design phase of the stroll, where subject for debate, reflection and proposal neighbors will design the walk and their equipment. The process will contemplate since the beginning the idea of covering the Ronda Litoral. The Riverside Walk will link the neighborhoods and the industrial area to the Besos River, plus articulate the area through qualified public space. With a language of urban design the Riverside Walk project is presented as one of the three strands of the strategy of articulations for urban cohesion in the area