Biotic and abiotic drivers of barnacle recruitment along a sub-Arctic intertidal rocky shore

Most marine ecological research in the Arctic has focused on open water ecosystems, while coastal ecosystems are systematically under-studied. However, Arctic near-shore ecosystems are highly stressed environments and play a major role in biogeochemical cycling (e.g., nutrient input from thawing permafrost). Furthermore, the Arctic region has extreme environmental conditions which are expected to be stronger modified by climate change than most other regions on earth. Ecological models state connections between environmental stress and the relative importance of species interaction regulating ecological communities. Many studies testing environmental stress models have been conducted on rocky intertidal shores of the temperate zones, which are commonly inhabited by sessile invertebrates, such as mussels and barnacles, slow moving predators, such as dogwhelks and limpets, and canopy-forming macroalgae. These studies showed, for instance, that barnacle (Semibalanus balanoides) settlement and recruitment are negatively affected by seaweed canopy whiplash and limpet bulldozing and also vary over small spatial scale with shore height due to strong desiccation gradients. However, canopies can also benefit both limpets and barnacles, providing a microclimate with reduced desiccation effects. The empirical evidence of those studies from temperate regions, may, however, not be applicable to the Arctic intertidal. This study focusses on the limpet-seaweed-barnacle interactions in the Arctic intertidal zone, as a highly stressful environment for which information on species interactions is extremely limited. Here, I report on: (1) the effect of shore height on barnacle (S. balanoides) settlement success and recruit density in relation to the effect of seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) canopy presence and (2) the separate and combined effects of the presence of seaweed (A. nodosum) canopy and, limpets (Patella vulgata), on the density of barnacle cyprids, recruits and adults. This experimental study was performed along the intertidal coast of Kvaløya island, Tromsø, northern Norway. The samples were collected from the intertidal zone that range about 1.84 m in coastal height. The study is composed of two experiments that were conducted both using a randomized-block design. Both experiments study the effects of biotic and abiotic drivers on barnacle adult, recruit, and settlement density. The results showed that barnacle cyprids and recruits were highly negatively affected by desiccation, being merely present at high-shore zones. Moreover, seaweed-canopy had a large negative effect on barnacle density while the limpet effect was relatively small. The combined effects of canopy whiplash and limpet bulldozing suggest an additive effect on barnacle density. These results indicate that the presence of an algal canopy does not enhance limpet performance (e.g., grazing activity) to add extra pressure on barnacle survival. This study shows that the functional role of intertidal organisms such as canopy-forming macroalgae may be expressed differently in high latitudinal intertidal communities than what could be inferred from studies done on temperate zone

Coverage control

The focus of this project is on optimal coverage of a given geographical area by means of sen- sors. To this aim, we reproduce a dynamic method to locate the sensors. The implementation is made by gradient descent-based control algorithms relying upon computational geometry of spatial structures, in particular, Voronoi diagrams2020/202

¿CÓMO MEJORAR LA CALIDAD DE LA ENSEÑANZA UNIVERSITARIA?

Uno de los retos a los que las universidades se enfrentan en los últimos años es el de mejorar la calidad de sus instituciones y mostrar a la sociedad el modo en el que se materializa esa mejora y las herramientas que se utilizarán para medir lo conseguido. Todos los implicados en la educación universitaria desean mejorar la calidad, pero lo que no existe es un consenso claro sobre cuáles son los factores que más inciden en la mejora de la calidad, cuestión ésta de gran importancia para posteriormente analizar el nivel de desarrollo de dichos factores en las instituciones universitarias y a partir del diagnóstico de la situación actual poder diseñar políticas para mejorar la calidad del sistema universitario. En esta comunicación se recoge la opinión del profesorado de las universidades españolas sobre qué factores consideran que tienen un mayor impacto en la calidad universitaria y el nivel de presencia que tienen los mismos en sus universidades

Feeding, Muscle and Packaging Effects on Meat Quality and Consumer Acceptability of Avileña-Negra Ibérica Beef

In order to achieve an attractive and differentiated product for the consumer and to optimize and to maximize profitability for the farmers within the EU Protected Geographical Indication "Carne de Ávila", 24 yearling males of Avileña-Negra Ibérica breed were used to evaluate the effect of 2 feeding systems, concentrate (CON) and maize silage (SIL), and 2 packaging systems, vacuum (VAC) and modified atmosphere (MAP), on fatty acid composition, proximate analysis, water holding capacity and consumer acceptability of meat in 2 muscles: Longissimus thoracis (LT) and Semitendinosus (ST). Animals fed with concentrate showed higher carcass weight. However, feeding did not affect the proximate analysis of the meat. The use of maize silage improved the amount of conjugated linoleic acid and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the relation n-6 PUFA/n-3 PUFA. In LT muscle, feeding influenced texture, samples from SIL being more tender. The VAC packaging showed higher cooking losses than MAP in both muscles. Aging increased tenderness and cooking losses but decreased thawing losses. LT samples from SIL feeding were better accepted by consumers and VAC packaging showed higher scores than MAP. We can conclude that the use of maize silage could be an alternative feeding for this type of animals improving some aspects of the quality of the meat

Assessment of the level of muscular strength and volume in physically active English adults

The aim of this study is to describe the muscular volume and strength of different body segments from a sample of 19 English male participants, with a mean age of 43.84 (±11.62). An isometric dynamometer (Standard type S) has been used for the strength measurements, as well as an isokinetic device (Cibex Norm, Ronkonkama, New York, U.S.A.) and a M.R.I scanner (Esaote G-Scan biomedical, Milan, Italy) for measuring the muscular volume. The Baecke Questionnaire (1982) helped to determine the participants habitual level of physical activity. The results reveal an inverse relationship between age and isometric strength of the biceps muscle (r=-0.518; p<0.05). In addition, there exists a correlation between the handgrip of the right hand and the left hand (r=0.788; p<0.001); torque of the knee extensor muscles and the ankle extensor muscles (r=0.712; p<0.01); time of torque of the knee flexor and extensor muscles (r=0.773; p<0.001) volume of the biceps and triceps muscles (r=0.849; p<0.001), as well as several correlations between the different volumes of the quadriceps muscles. As a conclusion, age has a negative influence on the production of isometric strength of the biceps muscle, but not of the knee extensor muscles. As expected, the antagonistic muscle groups actuating around the knee, i.e. the extensor and flexor groups seem to be adapted to each other in terms of volume, strength and rate of force development

La danza como recurso educativo para la mejora del conocimiento y control del propio cuerpo y reconocimiento y expresión de las emociones en un aula de 2º de primaria

El siguiente trabajo consiste en una intervención educativa contextualizada en un aula de 2º de educación primaria. A través de la intervención se intentara comprobar si la danza es un recurso educativo con el que trabajar el conocimiento y control del cuerpo, así como la expresión de las emociones. A través de dicha intervención se observa una mejora en el conocimiento y control corporal a través del movimiento libre por el espacio y la segmentación de movimientos, en un porcentaje elevado del alumnado. También se observa una mejora en la comprensión y expresión de las emociones en gran parte del alumnado, a través del trabajo en la expresión y movimiento propio para entender y valorar cómo cada persona siente y expresa.<br /

Programa de formación: Los cuidados invisibles, un reto para el futuro de la enfermería

La profesión enfermera ha experimentado una notable evolución a lo largo del tiempo. Históricamente, los cuidados enfermeros, generalmente vinculados a la mujer, gozaban de enorme empatía, humanidad y afecto y escasísimo reconocimiento social, laboral y económico. Entre los años 1976 y 1978 se protagonizaron grandes movilizaciones sanitarias nacionales para que la profesión tuviera un mayor reconocimiento, priorizándose lo técnico y lo terapéutico y perdiendo peso el cuidado humano. Este cuidado humano es lo que se conoce como cuidados invisibles o técnicas blandas, siendo los cuidados más agradables y reconfortantes para los enfermos. Estos cuidados abarcan múltiples gestos y miradas, desde una caricia hasta acomodar una almohada, para de esa forma ayudar a mejorar la relación de cuidado enfermera-paciente y crear un clima de confianza y seguridad. Pero es muy difícil cuantificarlos y aunque ocupen mucho tiempo del trabajo enfermero no quedan registrados, bien porque no se pueden registrar o, siendo que se podrían registrar, nadie lo hace y por tanto son los mismos profesionales los que los convierten en invisibles. Los cuidados invisibles garantizan el bienestar del paciente, es por tanto fundamental educar y concienciar a través de un programa de formación a los profesionales y futuros profesionales, puesto que son quienes pueden cambiar el panorama de la profesión enfermera.<br /

Anthropometric and physical differences of the gymnasts from the talent identification program of the artistic and rhythmic specialties

The aim of our research was to describe the physical and anthropometric characteristics of 25 gymnasts from the talent identification program of the Extremeña Gymnastics Federation. Subjects were classified according to their specialty: women‘s artistic gymnastic (WAG) and rhythmic gymnastics (RG). The dependent variables include body fat percentage through an electronic scale column with stadiometer (SECA 220cm); body circumferences through a plicometer (Holtain); body diameters and specific tests of flexibility through a tape (CM 3m); a heart rate through Ruffier test and a heart rate monitor (Polar F6); isometric strength of lower extremities through a load cell (SSMAJ 5000N); and jumping ability through a contact mat (Lafayette CVP A73). The results concluded that the WAG group got the best results in flexibility tests (p<.05). Also, the RG group had lower body fat percentage and greater SJ jump ability (r=-.774; p<.01) and CMJ (r=-.600; p<.05). However, the WAG group showed a negative relation between body mass index and flexibility (p<.01). We conclude that there are differences in body composition and physical tests between the specialties/styles of women’s artistic gymnastics and female rhythmic gymnastics; we also found relationships between the performance of such tests and anthropometric variables

Data driven tools to assess the location of photovoltaic facilities in urban areas

Urban sustainability is a significant factor in combating climate change. Replacing polluting by renewable energies is fundamental to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases. Photovoltaic (PV) facilities harnessing solar energy, and particularly self-consumption PV facilities, can be widely used in cities throughout most countries. Therefore, locating spaces where photovoltaic installations can be integrated into urban areas is essential to reduce climate change and improve urban sustainability. An open-source software (URSUS-PV) to aid decision-making regarding possible optimal locations for photovoltaic panel installations in cities is presented in this paper. URSUS-PV is the result of a data mining process, and it can extract the characteristics of the roofs (orientation, inclination, latitude, longitude, area) in the urban areas of interest. By combining this information with meteorological data and characteristics of the photovoltaic systems, the system can predict both the next-day hourly photovoltaic energy production and the long-term photovoltaic daily average energy production.This work has been supported by the project RTI2018-095097-B-I00 at the 2018 call for I+D+i Project of the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades, Spain. Funding for open access charge: Universidad de Málaga/CBUA, Spain

Multiphoton Reactive Surfaces Using Ruthenium(II) Photocleavable Cages

Photoreactive surfaces derived from a new photocleavable surface modification agent and with photosensitivity in the Vis and IR region are described. A ruthenium(II) caged aminosilane, [Ru(bpy)₂(PMe₃)(APTS)](PF₆)₂, was synthesized and attached to silica surfaces. Light irradiation removed the cage and generated surface patterns with reactive amine groups. The photosensitivity of this compound under single (460 nm) and two-photon (900) excitation is demonstrated. Functional patterns with site-selective attachment of other molecular species are described.A.d.C., O.F., and R.E. thank the DFG (444ARG113/8/1-0) for financial support. The authors thank Beatriz García (INQUIMAE) for helping with the synthesis part, Andreas Best (MPIP) for the laser scanning experiments, and Juan P. Fernández-Blázquez (MPIP) for help the contrast measurements. R.E. is staff member of CONICET