The Integrated Renovation of High-Rise Hotels on the Spanish Mediterranean Coast

In terms of construction and energy efficiency, Spain has one of the highest indexes of obsolete buildings among the developed countries. In the case of high-rise hotel buildings, this problem is further added to by the low levels of safety in the case of fire. The development of tourism in the 1950s and 60s led to the construction of a large number of high-rise hotels with 30+ floors. Initially, they conformed to lax, undemanding regulations regarding fire resistance in their structural components, fire escape routes, protected staircases, and so on. The requirements of today’s regulations in this field, contained in the Basic SI Technical Building Code Document, often make the renovation of these buildings an impossible task. Installing specially protected staircases can entail traumatic modifications that are sometimes unviable due to structural conditions or economic considerations. Furthermore, the building’s energy efficiency and CO2 emissions do not correspond to environmentally-friendly practices. This paper examines the above questions with regard to the Hotel Tryp Gran Sol in Alicante, Spain. The hotel is 97 m high and has 31 floors. The integrated renovation of the hotel requires serious reflection upon the building’s global response to personal safety, its envelope components and its air conditioning. Architectural solutions and the building’s economic viability for future exploitation as an important element in the building’s life cycle assessment (LCA) are discussed

Promoción del uso del web docente en la Universidad de Navarra: estrategia seguida y evaluación

This paper presents the strategy adopted by the University of Navarre in school year 2001-2002 and 2002-2003 to promote the use of websites for academic purposes. Data on the outcome of the project implementation are also provided. The project implementation had several components. First, we developed an e-content creation tool called Anai that is user-friendly. This allows people with very few computer skills to develop high-quality websites that have versatile features like weblogs, assessment systems, discussion tools, etc. Second, we organized several training sessions on the use of these tools. Today, the number of professors using websites for academic purposes has increased significantly. At least 60% of the courses offered in the University of Navarre have a website. Nevertheless, among the professors, the level and extent of the use of the web vary considerably. 1) The content of most websites is limited to providing basic information about a course, such as course description, objectives, syllabus, criteria of evaluation, etc. 2) Some websites contain teaching notes, handouts and ideas to support students. The content is presented using a variety of formats such as Microsoft Word, Adobe PDF and Microsoft PowerPoint. 3) Very few courses use tools like forums, weblogs, assessment systems or digital video. The key elements to ensure the effective implementation of the project include the following: user-friendly tools, institutional support and sustained efforts to train the users

Thermodynamics of the incommensurate state in Rb_2WO_4: on the Lifshitz point in A`A``BX_4 compounds

We consider the evolution of the phase transition from the parent hexagonal phase $P6_{3}/mmc$ to the orthorhombic phase $Pmcn$ that occurs in several compounds of $A'A''BX_{4}$ family as a function of the hcp lattice parameter $c/a$. For compounds of $K_{2}SO_{4}$ type with $c/a$ larger than the threshold value 1.26 the direct first-order transition $Pmcn-P6_{3}/mmc$ is characterized by the large entropy jump $Rln2$. For compounds $Rb_{2}WO_{4}$, $K_{2}MoO_{4}$, $K_{2}WO_{4}$ with $c/a<1.26$ this transition occurs via an intermediate incommensurate $(Inc)$ phase. DSC measurements were performed in $Rb_{2}WO_{4}$ to characterize the thermodynamics of the $Pmcn-Inc-P6_{3}/mmc$ transitions. It was found that both transitions are again of the first order with entropy jumps $0.2Rln2 and$0.3Rln2$. Therefore, at$c/a ~ 1.26$the$A'A''BX_{4}$compounds reveal an unusual Lifshitz point where three first order transition lines meet. We propose the coupling of crystal elasticity with$BX_{4}$ tetrahedra orientation as a possible source of the transitions discontinuity.Comment: 13 pages,1 Postscript figure. Submitted as Brief Report to Phys. Rev. B, this paper reports a new work in Theory and Experiment, directed to Structural Phase Transition

GRB 050904 at redshift 6.3: observations of the oldest cosmic explosion after the Big Bang

We present optical and near-infrared observations of the afterglow of the gamma-ray burst GRB 050904. We derive a photometric redshift z = 6.3, estimated from the presence of the Lyman break falling between the I and J filters. This is by far the most distant GRB known to date. Its isotropic-equivalent energy is 3.4x10^53 erg in the rest-frame 110-1100 keV energy band. Despite the high redshift, both the prompt and the afterglow emission are not peculiar with respect to other GRBs. We find a break in the J-band light curve at t_b = 2.6 +- 1.0 d (observer frame). If we assume this is the jet break, we derive a beaming-corrected energy E_gamma = (4-12)x10^51 erg. This limit shows that GRB 050904 is consistent with the Amati and Ghirlanda relations. This detection is consistent with the expected number of GRBs at z > 6 and shows that GRBs are a powerful tool to study the star formation history up to very high redshift.Comment: 3 figures, 5 pages, accepted for publication in A&A Letters. One figure added, minor modifications. Full author list in the pape

Evolution of adherence to antiretroviral treatment in a spanish hospital during 2001, 2005 and 2008

The aim of this study was to analyze the evolution of adherence to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) in the Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón (Madrid, Spain) over the last 8 years and determine the variables associated with the complexity of treatment and suboptimal adherence. An observational, retrospective method was used to measure adherence during the first 6 months of HAART in 3 cohorts: 2001 cohort (n = 90), 2005 cohort (n = 98), and 2008 cohort (n = 110). The adherence rate was determined using 2 methods: Pharmacy Department dispensation records and virologic response data. The evolution of the complexity of treatment and its influence on the adherence rate was analyzed by logistic regression. Adherence to HAART increased progressively from 45.6 % in 2001 to 56.1 % in 2005 and 77.3 % in 2008. Statistically significant differences were only observed between cohorts in 2005 and 2008. The average daily pill burden was 7, 4, and 4.5 tablets, respectively. The percentage of patients on twice-daily regimens decreased from 93.3 % in 2001 to 63.6 % in 2008, with a parallel increase in once-daily regimens. The proportion of patients with dietary restrictions decreased from 24.4 % to 3.6 %. A statistically significant association was found between the number of medication units per day and adherence and between frequency of administration and adherence. Adherence to HAART has improved significantly in the last 8 years. While the complexity of the treatment was significantly reduced in 2005, the largest increase in adherence occurred in the last cohort, which shows the influence of factors other than treatment simplification.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

HORYZONS trial: protocol for a randomised controlled trial of a moderated online social therapy to maintain treatment effects from first-episode psychosis services.

INTRODUCTION: Specialised early intervention services have demonstrated improved outcomes in first-episode psychosis (FEP); however, clinical gains may not be sustained after patients are transferred to regular care. Moreover, many patients with FEP remain socially isolated with poor functional outcomes. To address this, our multidisciplinary team has developed a moderated online social media therapy (HORYZONS) designed to enhance social functioning and maintain clinical gains from specialist FEP services. HORYZONS merges: (1) peer-to-peer social networking; (2) tailored therapeutic interventions; (3) expert and peer-moderation; and (4) new models of psychological therapy (strengths and mindfulness-based interventions) targeting social functioning. The aim of this trial is to determine whether following 2 years of specialised support and 18-month online social media-based intervention (HORYZONS) is superior to 18 months of regular care. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This study is a single-blind randomised controlled trial. The treatment conditions include HORYZONS plus treatment as usual (TAU) or TAU alone. We recruited 170 young people with FEP, aged 16-27 years, in clinical remission and nearing discharge from Early Psychosis Prevention and Intervention Centre, Melbourne. The study includes four assessment time points, namely, baseline, 6-month, 12-month and 18-month follow-up. The study is due for completion in July 2018 and included a 40-month recruitment period and an 18-month treatment phase. The primary outcome is social functioning at 18 months. Secondary outcome measures include rate of hospital admissions, cost-effectiveness, vocational status, depression, social support, loneliness, self-esteem, self-efficacy, anxiety, psychological well-being, satisfaction with life, quality of life, positive and negative psychotic symptoms and substance use. Social functioning will be also assessed in real time through our Smartphone Ecological Momentary Assessment tool. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Melbourne Health Human Research Ethics Committee (2013.146) provided ethics approval for this study. Findings will be made available through scientific journals and forums and to the public via social media and the Orygen website. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ACTRN12614000009617; Pre-results

Inhibition of ER stress-mediated apoptosis in macrophages by nuclear-cytoplasmic relocalization of eEF1A by the HIV-1 Nef protein

HIV-1 Nef protein has key roles at almost all stages of the viral life cycle. We assessed the role of the Nef/eEF1A (eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1-alpha) complex in nucleocytoplasmic shuttling in primary human macrophages. Nuclear retention experiments and inhibition of the exportin-t (Exp-t) pathway suggested that cytoplasmic relocalization of eEF1A, mediated by Exp-t, occurs in Nef-treated monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs). We observed the presence of tRNA in the Nef/eEF1A complexes. Nucleocytoplasmic relocalization of the Nef/eEF1A complexes prevented stress-induced apoptosis of MDMs treated with brefeldin-A. Blockade of stress-induced apoptosis of MDMs treated with HIV-1 Nef resulted from enhanced nucleocytoplasmic transport of eEF1A with decreased release of mitochondrial cytochrome c, and from increased tRNA binding to cytochrome c, ultimately leading to an inhibition of caspase activation. Our results indicate that HIV-1 Nef, through the nucleocytoplasmic relocalization of eEF1A and tRNAs, enhances resistance to stress-induced apoptosis in primary human macrophages

Clathrin mediates integrin endocytosis for focal adhesion disassembly in migrating cells

A new mechanism for focal adhesion disassembly is described involving microtubule-stimulated endocytosis of integrins at focal adhesions

Sucrose Counteracts the Anti-Inflammatory Effect of Fish Oil in Adipose Tissue and Increases Obesity Development in Mice

BACKGROUND: Polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) are reported to protect against high fat diet-induced obesity and inflammation in adipose tissue. Here we aimed to investigate if the amount of sucrose in the background diet influences the ability of n-3 PUFAs to protect against diet-induced obesity, adipose tissue inflammation and glucose intolerance. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We fed C57BL/6J mice a protein- (casein) or sucrose-based high fat diet supplemented with fish oil or corn oil for 9 weeks. Irrespective of the fatty acid source, mice fed diets rich in sucrose became obese whereas mice fed high protein diets remained lean. Inclusion of sucrose in the diet also counteracted the well-known anti-inflammatory effect of fish oil in adipose tissue, but did not impair the ability of fish oil to prevent accumulation of fat in the liver. Calculation of HOMA-IR indicated that mice fed high levels of proteins remained insulin sensitive, whereas insulin sensitivity was reduced in the obese mice fed sucrose irrespectively of the fat source. We show that a high fat diet decreased glucose tolerance in the mice independently of both obesity and dietary levels of n-3 PUFAs and sucrose. Of note, increasing the protein∶sucrose ratio in high fat diets decreased energy efficiency irrespective of fat source. This was accompanied by increased expression of Ppargc1a (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, gamma, coactivator 1 alpha) and increased gluconeogenesis in the fed state. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The background diet influence the ability of n-3 PUFAs to protect against development of obesity, glucose intolerance and adipose tissue inflammation. High levels of dietary sucrose counteract the anti-inflammatory effect of fish oil in adipose tissue and increases obesity development in mice