Evaluation of the MODIS Albedo Product over a Heterogeneous Agricultural Area

In this article, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BRDF)/Albedo product (MCD43) is evaluated over a heterogeneous agricultural area in the framework of the Earth Observation: Optical Data Calibration and Information Extraction (EODIX) project campaign, which was developed in Barrax (Spain) in June 2011. In this method, two models, the RossThick-LiSparse-Reciprocal (RTLSR) (which corresponds to the MODIS BRDF algorithm) and the RossThick-Maignan-LiSparse-Reciprocal (RTLSR-HS), were tested over airborne data by processing high-resolution images acquired with the Airborne Hyperspectral Scanner (AHS) sensor. During the campaign, airborne images were retrieved with different view zenith angles along the principal and orthogonal planes. Comparing the results of applying the models to the airborne data with ground measurements, we obtained a root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.018 with both RTLSR and RTLSR-HS models. The evaluation of the MODIS BRDF/Albedo product (MCD43) was performed by comparing satellite images with AHS estimations. The results reported an RMSE of 0.04 with both models. Additionally, taking advantage of a homogeneous barley pixel, we compared in situ albedo data to satellite albedo data. In this case, the MODIS albedo estimation was (0.210 +/- 0.003), while the in situ measurement was (0.204 +/- 0.003). This result shows good agreement in regard to a homogeneous pixel

Presence and geodynamic significance of Cambro-Ordovician series of SE Karakaram (N. Pakistan)

New geological, geochemical and geochronological data from the Southern Karakoram (NE Pakistan) indicate the presence of several unexpectedly old and well preserved units along the Asian margin: (1) a Precambrian basement, displaying a minimum amphibole Ar-Ar age of 651 Ma; (2) a thick Cambro-Ordovician platform-type sedimentary unit overlying the Precam-brian basement. These series are dated by graptolite and crinoid faunas, and are confirmed by concordant 87Sr/86Sr and 13C “ages” of the marbles; (3) a dismembered ophiolitic series formed by slices of metagabbros and metabasalts separated by ultramafic lenses (the Masherbrum Greenstone Complex). The occurrence of such Cambro-Ordovician series overlying a Precambrian basement in south-eastern Karakoram similar to the south-western Karakoram shows that the Karakoram constitutes a continuous tectonic block. The petrology and geochemistry of the Masherbrum Greenstone Complex (mineral chemistry, major and trace element and Sr-Nd isotopic data) are indicative of a supra-subductive environment. The presence of LREE-enriched calc-alkaline rocks [(La/Yb)N = 4.45.6; (Nb/La)N = 0.2-0.3; eNd565 = 5.1-7.1] and LREE-depleted tholeiitic rocks [(La/Yb)N =0.5-1.3; (Nb/La)N = 0.6-0.9; eNd565 = 5.6-7.8] are consistent with arc and back-arc settings, respectively. A high-Mg andesitic dolerite and an OIB-type metabasalt, with lower eNd ratios (eNd565 = 0.5 and 4.5) are in accordance with source heterogeneity beneath the arc. The Masherbrum Greenstone Complex, along with other Cambro-Ordovician central-eastern volcanic series give evidence of a tectonic situation governed by micro-plate convergent-divergent systems with occurrence of arc - back-arc settings during the Lower Palaeozoic, comparable to that of the current SW Pacific area

A numerical modelling investigation of the role of diabatic heating and cooling in the development of a mid-level vortex prior to tropical cyclogenesis – Part 1: The response to stratiform components of diabatic forcing

Mid-tropospheric mesoscale convective vortices have been often observed to precede tropical cyclogenesis. Moreover, recent cloud-resolving numerical modelling studies that are initialized with a weak cyclonic mid-tropospheric vortex sometimes show a considerable intensification of the mid-level circulation prior to the development of the strong cyclonic surface winds that characterize tropical cyclogenesis. The objective of this two-part study is to determine the processes that lead to the development of a prominent mid-level vortex during a simulation of the transformation of a tropical disturbance into a tropical depression, in particular the role of diabatic heating and cooling. For simplicity simulations are initialized from a quiescent environment. In this first part, results of the numerical simulation are described and the response to stratiform components of the diabatic forcing is investigated. In the second part, the contribution of diabatic heating in convective cells to the development of the mid-level vortex is examined.Results show that after a period of intense convective activity, merging of anvils from numerous cells creates an expansive stratiform ice region in the upper troposphere, and at its base a mid-level inflow starts to develop. Subsequently conservation of angular momentum leads to strengthening of the mid-level circulation. A 12&thinsp;h period of mid-level vortex intensification is examined during which the mid-level tangential winds become stronger than those at the surface. The main method employed to determine the role of diabatic forcing in causing the mid-level inflow is to diagnose it from the full physics simulation and then impose it in a simulation with hydrometeors removed and the microphysics scheme turned off. Removal of hydrometeors is achieved primarily through artificially increasing their fall speeds 3&thinsp;h prior to the 12&thinsp;h period. This results in a state that is in approximate gradient wind balance, with only a weak secondary circulation. Then, estimates of various components of the diabatic forcing are imposed as source terms in the thermodynamic equation in order to examine the circulations that they independently induce. Sublimation cooling at the base of the stratiform ice region is shown to be the main factor responsible for causing the strong mid-level vortex to develop, with smaller contributions from stratiform heating aloft and low-level melting and evaporation. This contrasts with the findings of previous studies of mid-latitude vortices that indicate sublimation plays a relatively minor role. An unanticipated result is that the central cool region that develops near the melting level is to a large degree due to compensating adiabatic ascent in response to descent driven by diabatic cooling adjacent to the central region, rather than in situ diabatic cooling. The mid-level inflow estimated from stratiform processes is notably weaker than for the full physics simulation, suggesting a moderate contribution from diabatic forcing in convective cells.</p

E-inclusión en la escuela ordinaria para alumnos con discapacidad visual. Internet como herramienta de apoyo

En este artículo se presenta la investigación que se está llevando a cabo por parte del Grupo ACCEDO con 21 alumnos del segundo ciclo de Educación Primaria y sus maestros itinerantes, enmarcada dentro del Plan Avanza 2009, con el objetivo de determinar las habilidades y estrategias que requieren los alumnos para el manejo de la tecnología en al aula, con Internet como herramienta de apoyo, así como los criterios metodológicos necesarios para optimizar su uso. Se presentan también los estudios previos realizados a tal fin, así como las actuaciones llevadas a cabo hasta el momento

Las aulas actuales: tecnología digital y discapacidad

La incorporación al aula de recursos y herramientas digitales plantea, además de cambios en el paradigma enseñanza-aprendizaje, dificultades de acceso para los alumnos con discapacidad visual. Los autores, integrantes del Grupo de Accesibilidad a Contenidos Digitales de la ONCE (ACCEDO), analizan el papel de los profesores y las familias, presentando las principales tecnologías y herramientas de apoyo para alumnos ciegos o con baja visión utilizadas en Educación Infantil y primeros cursos de Primaria, tales como: revisores de pantalla, línea braille, impresoras braille, tableta digitalizadora, pantalla táctil y pantalla digital interactiva

Effects of diet on the outcomes of rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs): systematic review and meta-analyses informing the 2021 EULAR recommendations for lifestyle improvements in people with RMDs

BackgroundA EULAR taskforce was convened to develop recommendations for lifestyle behaviours in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). In this paper, the literature on the effect of diet on the progression of RMDs is reviewed.MethodsSystematic reviews and meta-analyses were performed of studies related to diet and disease outcomes in seven RMDs: osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus, axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, systemic sclerosis and gout. In the first phase, existing relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses, published from 2013 to 2018, were identified. In the second phase, the review was expanded to include published original studies on diet in RMDs, with no restriction on publication date. Systematic reviews or original studies were included if they assessed a dietary exposure in one of the above RMDs, and reported results regarding progression of disease (eg, pain, function, joint damage).ResultsIn total, 24 systematic reviews and 150 original articles were included. Many dietary exposures have been studied (n=83), although the majority of studies addressed people with OA and RA. Most dietary exposures were assessed by relatively few studies. Exposures that have been assessed by multiple, well conducted studies (eg, OA: vitamin D, chondroitin, glucosamine; RA: omega-3) were classified as moderate evidence of small effects on disease progression.ConclusionThe current literature suggests that there is moderate evidence for a small benefit for certain dietary components. High-level evidence of clinically meaningful effect sizes from individual dietary exposures on outcomes in RMDs is missing

A variant of green fluorescent protein exclusively deposited to active intracellular inclusion bodies

Background: Inclusion bodies (IBs) were generally considered to be inactive protein deposits and did not hold any attractive values in biotechnological applications. Recently, some IBs of recombinant proteins were confirmed to show their functional properties such as enzyme activities, fluorescence, etc. Such biologically active IBs are not commonly formed, but they have great potentials in the fields of biocatalysis, material science and nanotechnology. Results: In this study, we characterized the IBs of DL4, a deletion variant of green fluorescent protein which forms active intracellular aggregates. The DL4 proteins expressed in Escherichia coli were exclusively deposited to IBs, and the IBs were estimated to be mostly composed of active proteins. The spectral properties and quantum yield of the DL4 variant in the active IBs were almost same with those of its native protein. Refolding and stability studies revealed that the deletion mutation in DL4 didn&apos;t affect the folding efficiency of the protein, but destabilized its structure. Analyses specific for amyloid-like structures informed that the inner architecture of DL4 IBs might be amorphous rather than well-organized. The diameter of fluorescent DL4 IBs could be decreased up to 100-200 nm by reducing the expression time of the protein in vivo. Conclusions: To our knowledge, DL4 is the first GFP variant that folds correctly but aggregates exclusively in vivo without any self-aggregating/assembling tags. The fluorescent DL4 IBs have potentials to be used as fluorescent biomaterials. This study also suggests that biologically active IBs can be achieved through engineering a target protein itself.open0

MULTIDISCIPLINARY COLLABORATION AMONG YOUNG SPECIALISTS: RESULTS OF AN ONGOING INTERNATIONAL SURVEY BY YOUNG ORGANISATIONS

Congress of the European-League-Against-Rheumatism (EULAR) (2018, Amsterdam, Netherlands