Heat fluxes between the Guadalquivir river and the Gulf of Cádiz Continental Shelf

An 18-year time series of daily sea surface temperature of Gulf of Cadiz and an 18-month time series of temperature collected in the vicinity of the Guadalquivir estuary mouth have been analyzed to investigate the heat exchange between the estuary and the adjacent continental shelf. The first time identifies a continental shelf area where seasonal thermal oscillation signal (amplitudes and phase) changes abruptly. In order to explain this anomaly, the second data set allows a description of thermal fluctuations in a wide range of frequencies and an estimation of the upstream heat budget of the Guadalquivir estuary. Results show that high frequency thermal signal, diurnal and semidiurnal, and water flux signal through Guadalquivir mouth, mainly semidiurnal, apparently interact randomly to give a small exchange of thermal energy at high frequency. There is no trace, at the estuary's mouth, of daily heat exchanges with intertidal mudflats probably because it tends to cancel on daily time scales. Results also show that fluctuations of estimated air-sea fluxes force fluctuations of temperature in a quite homogeneous estuarine, with a delay of 20 days. The along-channel thermal energy gradient reaches magnitudes of 300-400 J m-4 near the mouth during the summer and winter and drives the estuary-shelf exchange of thermal energy at seasonal scale. Particularly, the thermal heat imported by the estuary from the shelf area during late fall-winter-early spring of 2008/2009 is balanced by the thermal heat that the estuary exports to the shelf area during late spring-summer of 2008. In summary, Guadalquivir river removes/imports excess of thermal energy towards/from the continental shelf seasonally, as a mechanism to accommodate excess of heat from one side respect to the other side.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech. Autoridad Portuaria de Sevilla (APS

Development of a metric of aquatic invertebrates for volunteers (MAIV): a simple and friendly biotic metric to assess ecological quality of streams

Citizen science activities, involving local people in volunteer-supported and sustainable monitoring programs, are common. In this context, the objective of the present work was to develop a simple Metric of Aquatic Invertebrates for Volunteers (MAIV), including a user-friendly tool that can be easily accessed by volunteers, and to evaluate the e ciency of a volunteer monitoring program following an audit procedure. To obtain MAIV values, macroinvertebrate communities were reduced to 18 surrogate taxa, which represented an acceptable compromise between simplicity, e ciency, and reproducibility of the data, compared to the regular Water Framework Directive monitoring. When compared to results obtained with the National Classification System of Portugal, MAIV accurately detected moderate, poor, and bad ecological status. Thus, MAIV can be used by volunteers as a complement to the o cial monitoring program, as well as a prospective early warning tool for local problems related to ecological quality. Volunteers were students supervised by their teachers. Results obtained by volunteers were compared to results obtained by experts on macroinvertebrate identification to measure the e ciency of the procedure, by counting gains and losses on sorting, and identification. Characteristics of groups of volunteers (age and school level) did not influence significantly the e ciency of the procedure, and generally results of volunteers and experts matched.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Sexual gender roles and stereotypes and the sexual double standard in sexual satisfaction among Portuguese college students: an exploratory study

This work was supported by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT), under Grant number Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia PTDC/PSI-GER/28530/2017Research on sexual satisfaction in Portugal is still limited; what exists, however, highlights barriers preventing optimal realisation of this dimension of sexuality and sexual health. Physical and relational barriers have been consistently evidenced, whereas social and cultural barriers have been less studied. Using focus groups, we aimed to explore perceptions of Portuguese college students (N = 47) about sexual satisfaction – more specifically, about gender differences and about how sexual gender roles and stereotypes and the Sexual Double Standard may influence sexual satisfaction. We found that sexual satisfaction is perceived to be suboptimal, especially for women in casual sexual relationships, and that the differences are attributed by both male and female to the constraints imposed by sexual gender roles, sexual gender stereotypes, and the sexual double standard. Deconstructing these socio-sexual beliefs is needed in order to achieve a higher, egalitarian level of sexual satisfaction and to promote sexual health.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections, Clinical Manifestations and Their Predictors, Montreal, 1995–2002

Specific clinical manifestations of invasive group A streptococcal infection appear to develop not in response to the pathogen, but rather to host or environmental factors

R&D expenditure in the EU: convergence or divergence?

This article examines the convergence of the R&D expenditure in the EU28 for 2004–2015. We initially run a sigma convergence analysis and the results show convergence in the total expenditure, due to the behaviour of the business and higher education sectors, despite government sector divergence. However, noticeable differences between the EU15 and 13 EU countries are apparent. The business enterprise sector is the main driver of EU15 R&D convergence, whereas for the EU13 this role is played by the government expenditure. In addition, the economic crisis has impacted differently on both groups. The club convergence approach allows us to explore these insights through individualized analysis and clusterization. Results for the EU28 show two clubs for the total expenditure, but the analysis of its components reveals a larger grouping. Our results evidence the necessity of revising the EU R&D policies towards greater coordination and resources, and the implementation of new instruments, due to the impact of this expenditure on growth, development and integration

Portuguese College Students’ Perceptions About the Social Sexual Double Standard: Developing a Comprehensive Model for the Social SDS

Research on the sexual double standard (SDS) indicates its maintenance among college students, despite some attenuation and the emergence of alternative standards. Results show some inconsistencies, however, which highlight conceptual and methodological weaknesses that limit conclusions about the existence and expression of the SDS. One response entails distinguishing personal acceptance of the SDS from its social existence; maintenance of the SDS may reside in the latter, as there is some evidence for a decline in personal but not in social SDS. We aimed to analyse Portuguese college students’ perceptions about the social SDS and to develop a comprehensive model for it. Four male (n=30) and four female (n=17) focus groups were conducted with data analysis framed by Grounded Theory. The social SDS emerged especially with regard to casual sex and multiple partners, legitimized by the accepted/recognized existence of sexual gender roles and stereotypes. It is maintained through conformity with SDS and gender prescriptions in order to prove/ protect femininity, masculinity and sexual reputation. The process reduces sexual autonomy and has drawbacks for sexual health and wellbeing. Our comprehensive model can inform deconstructive strategies to promote egalitarian, liberal, and positive sexual experiences.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Modulation of apoptosis sensitivity through the interplay with autophagic and proteasomal degradation pathways.

Autophagic and proteasomal degradation constitute the major cellular proteolysis pathways. Their physiological and pathophysiological adaptation and perturbation modulates the relative abundance of apoptosis-transducing proteins and thereby can positively or negatively adjust cell death susceptibility. In addition to balancing protein expression amounts, components of the autophagic and proteasomal degradation machineries directly interact with and co-regulate apoptosis signal transduction. The influence of autophagic and proteasomal activity on apoptosis susceptibility is now rapidly gaining more attention as a significant modulator of cell death signalling in the context of human health and disease. Here we present a concise and critical overview of the latest knowledge on the molecular interplay between apoptosis signalling, autophagy and proteasomal protein degradation. We highlight that these three pathways constitute an intricate signalling triangle that can govern and modulate cell fate decisions between death and survival. Owing to rapid research progress in recent years, it is now possible to provide detailed insight into the mechanisms of pathway crosstalk, common signalling nodes and the role of multi-functional proteins in co-regulating both protein degradation and cell death

“Education Network” a new way to teach Chemistry

The complexity of chemistry has implications for the teaching of chemistry. That chemistry is a very complex subject. The majority of the students at University think that chemistry is a difficult discipline and they have difficulty in understanding the concepts. Moreover, students' interest in chemistry decreases the first year at university. The reason for this decrease might be that the contents of chemistry laboratory classes are boring, out of date and lacking of dynamism that students experience through visual media tools. For these reasons, new programs and methodologies should be developed. Those are based on making chemistry relevant through problem solving and collaborative learning hold promise for reforming chemistry education. It is about an education according to circumstances, which is adapted to context and virtual behaviour of people. It's time to CRUSH boredom by transforming your classroom into an Escape Room adventure. School-based escape games are a great teaching tool. The students while playing, learn. The most important point is that they won’t realize they’re doing both at the same time. In this work, an educational gamification experience based on the escape room concept was developed. The first (Do It Yourself) DIY Escape Room was built the year before at Mechanical Engineer Degree started, that took more than three weeks of work. It was presented to other professors to the same subject at different degrees. That DIY Escape Room was modified and adapted to each group. Each professor changed the clues, problems and so on in order to orientate the topic as much as possible to their students.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech

Preliminary insights into electro-sensitive ecolubricants: A comparative analysis based on nanocelluloses and nanosilicates in castor oil

The newest generation of lubricants needs to adapt to stricter environmental policies. Simple and sustainable formulations with tunable rheological properties under the action of electric potentials may be the key. The present research explored the feasibility of producing electro-sensitive ecolubricants based on nanocellulose (crystalline and fibrillar) or nanoclay (Cloisite 15A montmorillonite and halloysite nanotubes) dispersions in castor oil, at concentrations that ranged from 2 to 6 wt.%. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS) measurements allowed for a first estimate on the electro-responsive potential of the nanofluids. The nanocelluloses and the montmorillonite suspensions presented a relaxation event in the dielectric loss, e", centered at ca. 2-4 kHz, which is related to interfacial polarization. Moreover, their actual electro-rheological (ER) effect under high electric potentials up to 4 kV/mm was assessed by determining the magnitude of the yield stress from steady flow curves at 25 °C. It was found that the nanocelluloses and the montmorillonite showed an enhancement of three orders of magnitude in their yield stress values at 4 kV/m. This enhancement was much greater than in the halloysite nanoclay, which did not exhibit any polarization). This is the starting point for the development of environmentally friendly ER lubricating fluids, based on nanocellulose and montmorillonites (layered nanosilicates), which might assist in reducing the friction and wear through the application of controlled electric fields.publishersversionpublishe